Schooling the Soldier
by Cumor
Summary: An incident at school sends Jasper's temper spiraling out of control forcing Esme to step up and bring her agitated soldier boy back in line. Warning: Contains disciplinary spanking of a teenage vampire... well two teen vamps, but whose counting. If this is not too your liking please do not read. Feel free to enjoy the thousands of other stories that fanfic has to offer. Thanks.
1. School Days

**Warning: **Contains disciplinary spanking of a teenage vampire... well two teen vamps, but whose counting. If this is not too your liking please do not read. Feel free to enjoy the thousands of other stories that fanfic has to offer. Thanks.

**Disclaimer:** All the wonderful Twilight characters that you recognize are the property of Stephenie Meyer. She has been kind enough to loan them to us and I am extremely grateful to her for allowing us to play with her toys. I promise not to break them too badly, but accidents can happen from time to time. Any dings and dents will be pounded out and they will all be good as new at the end of the story.

**AN: **Well folks, this is what happens when my mind can't seem to focus, but decides to give me a glimpse of a pretty picture. ... or maybe not so pretty as the case may be with this one. I saw a very sullen Jasper and wondered what had happened to him to make him so upset. At my inquiry, this is what he shared with me.

Not sure how long this one is going to run, but I am happy to say that it will help me fulfill a fairly old request by Jasper1863Hale... as long as Jasper, Alice and I play our cards right.

Special thanks to all my readers. Y'all have no idea just how much you guys inspire me or just how amazing you are.

Naturally, I could not be without my most awesome beta, Splinter. Poor thing has put up with me for over a year. That has got to be some sort of record. *hugs*

Without further ado ... let's get this party started.

* * *

The ticking of the clock was counting down the minutes to his doom, but at the moment Jasper didn't care. Instead he found his anger growing with each pass of the hand and each impossibly loud mechanical click.

_It's not fair. It was a fucking accident and now they are talking possible suspension. What the fuck? Mrs. Riley should not have gotten in my way. It was her own damn fault. I would never dream of hitting a woman and everyone knows that. If she had just kept her sizable nose out of my business she wouldn't have gotten hurt. Busy body bitch. FUCK!_

The southerner snorted in disgust as he shifted on the hard wood chair in the principal's outer office. Common sense dictated that he should at least appear contrite, but at the moment he had neither the tenacity nor inclination to uphold such a staged performance. He was pissed off and everything about his body language was projecting that fact loud and clear to anyone who bothered to give him so much as a passing glance. Arms crossed tightly over his chest, head bowed with a scowl darkening his features and outstretched legs crossed at the ankles, Jasper appeared anything but sorry for what had transpired not twenty minutes ago.

_God's honest truth, this is that fuckin' jackass DeYoung's fault. If he had been watchin' where he was goin' instead of flirting with his slut of a girlfriend my ride wouldn't be all mangled right now. My poor bike. My baby. That lousy mother fucker backed over my baby and didn't even have the civility to mention it to me. No 'I'm sorry'. No 'Dude I accidentally ran over your bike." Doesn't have the good form to offer to pay to have her fixed. Acted like it was no big deal that he damn near destroyed my bike. Careless son of a bitch. So used to having daddy just bail his ass out of everything, he doesn't even care about how his stupidity effects other people. Bastard figured that it was just a bike so it wasn't anything to be worryin' about. Just started to strut his worthless candy ass towards the main building. I don't fuckin' think so. _

_Yeah I kicked in his headlight and keyed that damn truck. The damage he did to my property was far worse. He's lucky that I didn't put a really nice dent in the hood with my fist. Maybe if I had cracked his radiator he would have gotten a clue as to just how pissed off he made me._

_And then he thinks that he is going to push me? He has no idea who he's dealing with. Just wait until tonight. He won't even recognize that piece of crap he drives as having ever been a truck once I'm done with it. _

So completely absorbed in his thoughts, Jasper didn't hear the heavy glass door scrape open, but when a familiar scent tickled his nose he felt his venom run cold.

Without lifting his head, he raised his eyes to glance up at Esme as she stood at the secretary's desk.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Mrs. Cullen. Please have a seat. I'll let Mr. Greene know that you've arrived."

"Thank you, Ms. Cope. I came as soon as I could. I can't imagine what sort of trouble Jasper could have gotten himself into. I'm certain that this must be some sort of misunderstanding and surely we can get it all straightened out."

The red haired woman peered over her glasses at Esme and smiled. "I'm just as confident about that as you are. All of your children are always so well behaved. It's such a pleasure to have them here and Jasper has always been such a quiet studious boy. He's very much the gentleman. I really can't imagine him causing any sort of trouble."

Getting up, Ms. Cope quickly disappeared into the back of the office as Esme made her way over to sit next to her soldier boy.

A glance at her sulking son made the matriarch question every word that the secretary had just spoken. Currently Jasper appeared to be the complete opposite of the genteel young man that Ms. Cope had just praised so highly, but Esme was more than willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Are you okay, Sweetie?"

A grunt was the only response that she received.

"Jasper, I have to admit that I don't appreciate this attitude that you're putting off right now."

"Well I don't care for the attitudes of anyone around here so I guess that makes us even. I swear to you that they have been needling me since this sorry shit started. How much would you care to wager that I'm the only one to end up with my ass in a sling when it was that little shit that started it?"

Esme was mildly shocked at her son's choice of words. Around her, he had always been a perfect gentleman so she could only imagine what he had been through that would cause him to speak to her in such an uncouth manner. Just as she was about to issue a gentle rebuke to mind his manners, the office door opened.

"Mrs. Cullen, thank you for coming at such short notice. I hope we haven't interrupted something important by dragging you down here today." Mr. Greene gave the stunning woman his most dazzling smile as he extended a hand to her.

Shaking the man's hand and allowing him to help her to her feet, Esme shook her head and offered a light smile of her own.

"There is nothing in this world more important than my children."

"I do wish that everyone felt that same way, but with the fast pace of life it appears that sometimes priorities get a bit jumbled and it's always the young ones who suffer." Harold Greene sighed inwardly as he directed Esme into his office. "Please have a seat." Turning his attention back to the sulking youth, he called, "Jasper, would you please join us? I'm sure that your mother will want to hear your version of today's events directly from you."

"Why? Not like it will do a lick of good. I've already been tried and convicted. Don't see how any fucking thing I have to say is going to make a damn bit of difference in this kangaroo court of school justice."

"Jasper Whitlock Hale, you know better than to use that kind of language or be disrespectful to your elders. Apologize to Mr. Greene this instant."

The youth gave a dry laugh as he shook his head. "Yeah right. Elder. Don't make me laugh, Esme."

The woman gave her son a dark look before turning back to the principal. "I cannot apologize enough for my son's abhorrent behavior. He really isn't normally like this."

The man gave her a sympathetic look. He had seen it all before, but still it was always hardest to witness from one of his top students.

"It's alright, Mrs. Cullen. Their teen years are just a very hard time for them emotionally with their hormones riding roughshod over them making things more difficult than they should be. I know that Jasper is a good boy and a most excellent student. He is just having a very bad day, but that still doesn't excuse his over all behavior."

"What is my son being accused of having done?"

"Please step inside so we can discuss it in private. Jasper, you too."

"I aint going anywhere." The teen hugged himself a little more tightly while keeping his eyes directed towards the toes of his boots.

"Mr. Greene, would you mind if I have a moment with Jasper in private?"

"Not at all, Mrs. Cullen. Come in whenever you're ready."

"Thank you, so much."

Esme waited until the office door closed and she heard the man retreat away from it before she stepped over to stand in front of the Major.

"What has gotten into you," she inquired in a fierce whisper.

"I'm tired of playing around with all the jackasses around here. They are careless and ignorant. There isn't a lick of common sense shared among them. My God, Esme how can you expect me not to be pissed off? Do you know what that bastard did to my bike?"

"No I don't considering..." Esme cocked a brow as the soldier's last question fully registered. "Your what?"

"My motorcycle. That little punk ass went and slammed his car into her. I'm sure that Rose can work her magic on her, but she shouldn't have to. If that son of a bitch had just bothered to look before he slammed his fucking pick-up in reverse..."

Before Jasper could react, his mother had a firm hold on his chin and had lifted his head to meet her furious dark eyes.

"Jasper Cullen, are you telling me that you rode that two wheeled death trap to school?"

Her expression caused him to shrink back slightly as he swallowed hard, concern for his immediate future showing in his darkened eyes.

"I don't know if you can really call it a trap since you would get thrown free from it if anything bad were to happen."

"Jasper, don't get smart with me."

His anger ebbed as his grew more uneasy with his mother's reaction. "Actually, Momma, I'm feeling the exact opposite of smart at this very moment."

"Oh, so it's Momma now?"

Jasper's mind instantly replayed every word and deed that he had partaken in since walking out of the house this morning. When it hit the altercation with Bradly DeYoung his breath ceased as his chest grew tight. Unable to lower his head to escape his mother's anger gaze, he closed his eyes only to have her give his head a light shake to get his attention back on her.

"I'm sorry, Momma," he whispered softly.

"You only think you're sorry, young man. I can assure you that you are going to be a great deal sorrier once I get you home."

His dark topaz eyes widened at Esme's declaration, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Now, young man, I expect you to straighten up and fly right. We are going into that office and hear what Mr. Greene has to say. If you find fault in anything that he says, you may politely offer your side of the story. Consider this your last warning Major. You had better rein in that attitude and clean up your language or I will do it for you."

Jasper's eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of his head and Esme found herself feeling afraid and oddly nauseous. Shaking off her son's projected emotions, she stared hard into his eyes.

"Just because I never have, don't delude yourself into thinking that I can't or won't. If I hear so much as a 'darn' come out of your mouth while we are in there with that gentleman, I will march you straight to the nearest men's room and wash your mouth out here and now."

As Jasper continued to stare at his mother in complete and utter shock, Esme wound down her impromptu lecture.

"You should be thanking your lucky stars that I am showing a bit more restraint than you have been, Jasper because I am extremely close to baring your backside and adjusting that attitude right here. The only thing stopping me is the fact that I respect that we are in public and I don't wish to embarrass you. That being said, if you continue to embarrass me with this juvenile behavior, I will assume that such things aren't really that important to you and act accordingly. Do we have an understanding, mister?"

As she released the hold she had still maintained on his chin, Jasper hastily nodded.

"Yes, ma'am. I understand. You won't hear a peep outta me."

The feisty woman continued to hold his gaze for several more long agonizing seconds, before finally sighing softly and extending her hand towards her boy to bring him to his feet.

Once he was standing before her with his head bowed, Esme felt a shudder race through her body causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand erect.

"Baby, I know that it's difficult, but try to calm yourself."

With his chin still firmly planted in his chest, Jasper glanced up at his mother through dark thick lashes.

"I am trying, Momma, but it's not easy when I'm worked up about what happened and now I have to worry with you being mad at me. Then there will be Papa to contend with. That aint a mix that lends itself naturally to calmness."

Esme took a deep breath as she ran her hand through her boy's honey gold locks.

"Sweetheart, I'll make a deal with you. I'll do my best not to get angry and will intervene on your behalf with your father, but you have to promise me that you will calm yourself down and act like the gentleman that I know you to be."

Jasper continued to watch Esme in silence before finally closing his eyes and nodding.

"Come here, baby." The matriarch enveloped her soldier in her arms and hugged him tight. At first he stiffened at the contact, but soon Esme felt his muscles relax before he wrapped his arms around her in return.

With his head resting upon her shoulder, Jasper whispered softly, "I'm so sorry, Momma. I really am. I never meant for any of this to happen."

"Ssh. I know, Jazz. You're a good boy at heart. You've proven that too many times to count, but you also know that your recent outbursts are unacceptable. Likewise, you also know that you are not allowed to ride that bike to school and we will talk about that when we get home."

"Yes, ma'am."

Releasing him, Esme pushed her son back and brushed the hair out of his face before pulling him down to kiss his forehead.

"Let's not keep, Mr. Greene waiting any longer."

Giving his mother a brief nod, Jasper opened the door for her to enter the office before following meekly behind.

It was with more than a touch of curiosity that the principal watched the beautiful young woman walk confidently over to sit in one of the visitor's chairs before his desk while her son silently slid into the other. Jasper didn't appear to carry even the slightest remnant of his previous combative attitude even though he kept his head bowed avoiding the eyes of both of the adults in the room.

_Beautiful, smart and apparently more than capable of controlling her children. That Doctor Cullen bagged himself a true prize when he put a ring on that delicate finger._

Mr. Greene cleared his throat as he struggled to regain his focus on the reason for the meeting.

"Mrs. Cullen, I'm not sure what Jasper has told you of the day's events, but please allow me to offer the story as I know it. There was a bumping of fenders in the parking lot ..."

Esme felt a shot of anger from her soldier boy at the man's take on the accident that appeared to have claimed the life of his motorcycle. Laying her hand lightly on his forearm, she noticed the anger pull away immediately as he closed his eyes.

"As can tend to happen, a dispute erupted between Jasper and the other student involved. When one of our staff members stepped in to separate the boys she managed to get struck."

While Esme couldn't see the contrite expression that shadowed Jasper's face, an unmistakable pang of remorse in her gut was all the verification that she needed to know which of the combatants had hit the teacher.

"Was she injured badly?" Knowing Jasper's temper and strength, his mother felt justifiable concern for the poor woman who had managed to be in the wrong place at very much the wrong time.

"A little bruised up, but nothing serious. These things happen from time to time so we learn to roll with the punches; quite literally." Mr. Greene gave Esme a sad smile before nodding towards Jasper. "We have witnesses that claim Jasper was the culprit in that and as such, he is subject to the harshest corrective action. While I'm sure that it was an accident, attacks on school staff members must be treated as very serious grievous offenses."

"Ya gonna expel me."

Both Esme and Greene glanced at Jasper in mild confusion. The boy had remained silent from the moment that he entered the office and when he did finally speak there had been no question in his flat-toned whisper.

"Violence against a teacher is certainly grounds for expulsion, Mr. Hale, but I don't feel that is necessary at this point." The principal shifted through some papers in Jasper's academic file before continuing. "Though it appears that you have been having some issues lately that I don't feel have been properly addressed. I'm recommending that you speak to an anger management professional to see if we can get you back on an even keel."

Jasper finally raised his head and gazed at the man in wide-eyed bewilderment. "But this wasn't my fault. I don't have any issues with my anger."

"Are you saying that you didn't strike Mrs. Riley?"

"No, Sir. I mean, no, I did hit her, but it was entirely an accident. I never meant to do that. I would never do something like that. You have to believe me."

"But you did mean to strike Mr. DeYoung?"

Jasper quickly looked away. "That was different. He deserved it."

"Jasper, you know that you don't settle arguments with your fists." Esme found herself truly shocked by her son's lack of remorse in attacking the other student. "Maybe you could use some counseling."

His eyes darkened several shades a he stared at his mother blankly. "You've gotta be fuc..."

Esme cut him off quickly with a hard glare. "Don't make me follow through with my promise."

Jasper swallowed hard and lowered his gaze. "Sorry, but still. You must be joking, Momma. Don't you think Papa's counsel tonight will be sufficient?

"Jasper," Mr. Greene interrupted. "Sometimes it just helps to talk to someone outside of your family. A neutral party can give you unbiased support and more easily see where you may be having trouble. There is no shame in admitting that you need some help. We all do from time to time."

The boy folded his arms over his chest and huffed. "Ah don't need anyone fiddlin' 'round in mah head."

"Well Jasper, you are suspended for three days and I will not allow you to return without a note from a licensed therapist letting me know that you have at least taken this seriously enough to talk to someone."

"Forget it."

"Honey, if Mr. Greene thinks that it's for the best..."

"No. Ah don't need no headshrinker. There's not a damn thing wrong with me. Just 'cause ah got pissed when a little snot backed over mah bike that don't mean that ah have a problem. That would get anyone's dander up. How 'bout sending the jackass to an eye doctor or for some damn drivin' lessons instead of me to fuckin' anger management. He needs that way more than Ah need to have mah head examined. "

"Jasper! Enough!"

Esme's tone caused her son's venom to instantly chill.

"Mr. Greene, please excuse my son's tirade. I hate to ask this again of you knowing that your time is so valuable, but Jasper and I have to address an issue. Excuse us for just about five minutes and I'll be right back to complete our discussion and check Jasper out to take him home. I promise you that he will see someone to help control his temper. You shouldn't have to suffer with my child's tantrums; I will see to it that this atrocious behavior is nipped in the bud immediately." Standing Esme extended a hand to the soldier. "Jasper, come with me."

"No." He pressed his back further against the chair. "Ya wouldn't. Ya can't."

"I can and I will. Let's go now."

"Ah said no. Ah won't let ya do that to me."

Esme caught his left wrist in a firm grip and pulled him from his seat. "You are only making this more difficult."

"You're being difficult. You're supposed ta love me regardless; take care of me. Ya not supposed ta humiliate me."

"Jasper, causing a scene isn't helping your case."

"You're the one lookin' ta cause a scene, Esme. Let me go." He wrenched his wrist out of her grip and took a step back.

"Baby, think about where you are and what you're doing? Trust me. You do not want to continue on this path."

"Mr. Hale, just take it easy. Retake your seat and settle down so we can all talk this out. No one is going to do anything to hurt you."

"Like hell. No offense meant, Mr. Greene, but you don't know shit."

The school administrator's brow suddenly furrowed. _He can't be saying what I think he's saying. Not the Cullens. I can't believe that Doctor and Mrs. Cullen could be abusive. Then again it's often the family that you least expect who hides the darkest secrets._

"Jasper, if you need a safe haven, I can get you help."

Esme dropped her head and covered her eyes with her hand as she rubbed her temples. _This cannot be happening._

Jasper stared at the principal uncomprehendingly then shot his mother a fleeting glance before realization struck like a bolt of lightening. Closing his eyes he shook his head.

"No, Mr. Greene. It's not like that. It's just..." His eyes snapped open and he locked onto the befuddled administrator. "You wouldn't understand. I appreciate your concern, but I really don't need rescuing."

"Maybe you do and you just don't realize it. Maybe this anger is stemming from a subconscious need to draw attention to the real problem that you are no longer consciously aware of. Once aberrant behavior has set a pattern, it's easy to forget it's not normal, Jasper."

"Normal?" Jasper laughed and turned away from the well meaning interloper. "Who is to say what's normal these days? Apparently it's become normal to damage someone's property and not even offer an apology for it. Back in my day, that was unconscionable. If you broke something that belonged to someone else, you fixed it. If you couldn't fix it, you replaced it. If it couldn't be replaced, you tried like hell to find someway to make it right. Now, it has become normal to just blow it off and walk away. The injured party is suppose to suck it up and get over it. God forbid that they want some sort of satisfaction because then that means that they have anger issues or are psychologically impaired in some other way.

If this is normal then that is something that I most certainly don't want to be.

Yeah, I hit Mrs. Riley. No, I'm not proud of that fact at all. It was an accident, but that doesn't mean that there shouldn't be repercussions. I'm willing to take responsibility for what I've done and accept my punishment, but damn it, why shouldn't the bastard that hit my bike be required to do the same?"

His dark eyes flashed angrily as he searched the administrator's face for an explanation and found that none was forthcoming.

Looking away from the "adults" in the room, Jasper ran a hand through his wheaten locks as he paced back and forth like a panther in a small cage feeling his frustration reaching greater levels.

"Jasper, Sweetheart, you need to calm yourself down."

Esme took a step towards him, forcing herself to exude a quiet calm that belied the anxious tension which all three of the room's occupants were experiencing.

The Major stopped in his tracks and gave his mother a look of utter despair. The deep dark burnt chocolate brown of his eyes clearly proclaimed his distress and Esme felt any residual anger that she had held onto melt away. Her mothering instincts took over and all she could think about was how much she needed to reassure and comfort her precious soldier boy, but her next step forward sent him scurrying two steps back.

The heavy emotions in the room were beginning to weigh down on the boy causing him to fidget anxiously as he continued to hold his distraught mother's gaze. For the second time within a span of minutes, Jasper felt a stab of regret at the core of his being. He felt the pain of rejection that Esme had just experienced when he increased the distance between them and he hated himself for hurting her.

"Ah hafta go. Ah... Ah just can't be here any longer. Ah'll see ya back at home later, Momma. Ah... Ah jest can't do this right now. Ah can't."

He turned and was nearly at the door when Esme calling out his name made him hesitate.

"Jasper, please don't do this."

Her pleading tone rang with sadness and hurt that mirrored the emotions rippling through the boy. They both knew how Carlisle would react to his cowardly act of running away and maybe that was part of the reason that he felt inclined to do just that.

"Don't walk away from me. You know that you are only going to make this a great deal harder on all of us. You need to regain control of yourself so we can talk this out."

"That's why Ah hafta go. Ah need ta just get away on mah own for a spell." His voice was soft and thick with emotion. "Ah know what ya thinkin', but Ah won't. Papa aint gonna hafta come find me. Ah'll come home. Jest give me a few hours. Please, Momma. Ah need this." The concern and grief coming from Esme caused the soldier to shudder before he shook his head. "Ah gotta go."

With that he swiftly exited the office and raced out of the building to disappear into the surrounding forest, leaving his overwrought mother behind to work out the details of his academically sponsored chastisement with one very stunned Harold Greene.


	2. Two In One Day

"What have you gone and done, Whitlock? You are seriously up shit creek now. Carlisle is going to kill you. Fuck!"

The youth rubbed his forehead as he paced in the little clearing that he and Alice had laid claim to as their own private little hide-a-way. He had hoped that being in this relaxing friendly place would have helped calm him down, but it appeared to be having the opposite effect. Jasper was just as agitated as ever and he was swiftly running out of options.

"Stop it. Just stop. You know that Carlisle would never destroy you. He'll be a far cry from happy, but the worst that he would do is whip your sorry ass. It's not like you didn't know you already had that coming after that little scene you pulled. What in the hell were you thinking? You know better than to act like that. What's wrong with you? This isn't the first time one of these stupid kids at school did something to piss you off, so why did you have to fly off the handle like that this time? Because you haven't got the sense God gave a billy goat; that's why."

Jasper ran his hands through his tangled blonde locks and shook his head sadly.

"At least I didn't hurt him. I had to have had some control since I didn't clobber him into the next century. Hopefully that will be worth something in Carlisle's eyes. I mean it really could have been worse."

Sinking down to the ground at the base of a tree, the soldier propped his elbows on his knees and cradled his head in his hands as he sighed.

"It is worse. You just had to go and make things even worse by running away, didn't you? Carlisle isn't going to take kindly to that, but I had to get out of there. I'm not really running away from my just desserts. Doesn't take a genius to know what I have coming when I get home, but I will go home and face it. I just couldn't deal with it right then. I had to get out of there before I screwed up more. Surely he'll understand. Well, that is as long as he gives me a chance to explain."

Jasper huffed as he violently shook the thought from his head.

"What are you talking about? This is Carlisle. Of course he'll let you explain. He'll let you explain ... and then he'll tear your tail up. I mean, hell, it's not like you were exactly respectful towards his mate and you sure as hell weren't being respectful to the school authority. You hit a teacher. Accident or not, you already know that there is no excuse that would be good enough to let that be a wash. Damn it, Whitlock. You're supposed to be smart, but a body don't get much dumber than this."

Jasper let out a long low groan before knocking the back of his head against the thick loose bark that encased the trunk of the towering pine sending fragments raining down around him.

"It will all be alright, Jazzy."

Opening his eyes, the boy spotted his pixie-ish mate standing a few feet away carefully watching him with concern reflecting in her amber eyes. He could feel her disappointment, but she was trying to be supportive just the same. His sweet Alice. What would he ever do without her? If everything else crumbled around him, he knew that she would still be right there by his side until the bitter end. Their love was truly eternal. He would do anything for her and there was no doubt that she would do the same for him. _This right here sure proves..._

Suddenly his brow furrowed as a disturbing thought interrupted his thoughts.

"Alice, what are you doing? You shouldn't be out here. You're supposed to be in class. I think one of us in trouble is already one too many. You need to get back to school before you get caught."

Drifting over to her anxious mate, Alice knelt next to him and cupped her slender fingers against his cheek.

"It will be fine. It's not like I could let you sit out here and brood all alone. I needed to check on you and make sure that you were alright. We're just having a bio lab anyway so that's no big deal. No one will miss me. I'll be able to slip back in easily enough. You, on the other hand, need to get home right away," she offered a little more forcefully.

"Right now you're in trouble with Momma, but if you don't keep her waiting it will end there. She won't say anything because she doesn't want to see you end up in trouble with Daddy. You'll see. You have to get home soon though or that might change. The longer you make her wait the more likely it is that she'll have a change of heart because she won't feel that you respect her enough to listen. Esme really wants to keep this just between the two of you, but you need to show her that you respect her authority, Jazzy."

Jasper lightly caught his mate's hand and brought it to his lips. After kissing her gently, he shook his head as he cleared his throat.

"It's too late for that, Alice. I seriously made a mess of things this time. I showed my ass to Momma and Greene and then I up and ran off. There's no way I'm getting out of this one without a trip to Papa's study. Believe me, I've been sitting here trying to think of something that I can do to make it not quite as bad."

The soldier turned his face away from his mate so she wouldn't see the humiliation in his eyes.

"I don't know what got into me. I took the coward's path when Momma threatened to soap my mouth at school. I know how wrong that was, but I just couldn't stand to be saddled with that sort of humiliation. Now it's for certain that Papa will see to it..."

"There wouldn't have been anyone around, Jazzy."

The Major raised a questioning brow as he watched his pixie pull slightly away. "What?"

"It was during classes so there wouldn't have been anyone around to witness Momma washing your mouth out. She would never intentionally humiliate you. She never planned on doing that in the first place. Momma thought that the threat alone was going to be enough to prevent you from acting up, but then you got a little too upset and she knew that she would have to follow through. Even so, she would have made sure that there was no one anywhere near the bathroom at the time. She would never hurt you like that."

Jasper closed his eyes and mentally berated himself. He knew Esme and if he had only thought about it before reacting, he could have figured that out for himself. Of course she wouldn't embarrass him. She wasn't like that at all. _Gawd! Ah made a mountain outta molehill fer no damn good reason._

Breathing deeply, he held his breath for a moment before slowly exhaling as he studied the ground around him before he muttered quietly."I deserved that soapin' and everything that should have come with it."

"You need to tell that to Momma."

"I don't know. I think I have a better idea."

An image flickered in Alice's mind causing her to smile and giggle softly.

"I don't know how she would still be able to go through with it after that, but she will. You know that, right?"

"I suspected as much." Jasper glanced up at Alice shyly as he offered her a faint smile.

Kissing her mate's cheek, the pixie quickly found her feet and pulled him up onto his.

"I need to get back to class before I miss it completely and you go get yourself home, mister. You and Momma will be okay and everything will be over with by the time we get home from school just as long as you hurry. You really don't want Emmy walking in on you."

Jasper snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I know that is a fact even without the help of your second sight. I'll make a quick stop at the store and then head straight home after."

"Promise?"

The blonde haired boy gave his mate a half smile. "Yes, ma'am. I promise."

"That's great, Jazzy. This will be so much better. I'll see you at home."

Alice hugged him tight before slipping from his arms to vanish in a flash leaving Jasper alone with his thoughts once again.

"This is just gonna suck like a Hoover. Still, Esme is the preferred choice over Carlisle right now. A crossed Momma bear aint nothin' pretty, but it's better to face the music and get it over with anyway. Suck it up, Whitlock. Aint like ya haven't been put in check by a female before. Aint pleasant, but at least ya know that with this one, your survival is guaranteed."

With his head low, Jasper made his way out of the forest and headed towards the little drug store at the edge of town.

Easily finding what he needed, the boy quickly made his purchase before he could lose his nerve then slowly headed towards home and the certainty of a most difficult afternoon that awaited him there.

* * *

Alice slipped quietly through the main doors of the school and stopped as she scanned the halls to make sure that the coast was clear. _So far, so good._

After her last unscheduled absence, Carlisle had warned her of what would happen should she chance being truant again. That was something that Alice most certainly was not looking forward to. With their necessary sun induced absences, the patriarch didn't take kindly to his children skipping classes of their own accord at other times. He hadn't even acknowledged the importance of the major clearance sale that his little sprite of a daughter simply could not pass up. Apparently that hadn't been a good enough reason for her to take off and go into Port Angeles on the day of her Economic Mid-term exam. Even her explanation of how she was immersing herself in the subject had fallen on deaf ears.

Alice knew that she had managed to dodge a bullet that time, but it had still seemed harsh of Carlisle to take her credit cards away for an entire month. With a shudder the girl sighed at the terrible memory. _Sometimes Daddy can be a real fuddy-duddy when it comes to understanding what things are really important. _

Now checking on Jasper was even more important than any new clothes or shoe sale. Alice knew that Carlisle would realize that and it could work in her favor, but then he would know what her mate had gotten himself into and that would never do.

Nope. If Esme could keep this quiet then so could she and the first step in sticking with that plan was getting back to her class undetected.

Keeping alert to the sounds and scents of the humans behind the closed doors, Alice lightly padded along the hallways until she reached the science wing. There had been no one wandering the halls so with her classroom in sight, the pixie breathed a little sigh of relief seconds before a familiar scent tickled her nose.

Instinctively, the young woman's golden eyes darkened and narrowed while a deep growl of anger rumbled in her chest.

Lured by the scent trail, Alice stopped at the Chem lab door and listened intently to the students chattering away within.

"Bradley, Dude, you are the man. I can't believe Greene let you off with just detention."

"What did you expect him to do? All he had on me was fighting and that was really self defense. It was Hale who got up in my face after breaking my headlight. That thug was the one who started it all so he was the one to blame, not me.

You should have seen that dope whining like a bitch about his bike. Like his doctor dad doesn't have the funds to fix it up for him. He thought that I was going to feel sorry for his privileged ass and get that piece of junk worked on or something. As if. I don't even think that I hit it. Probably was already fucked up and he just tossed it under my truck thinking that my insurance was going to pay for the repairs. Like I'm going to have my rates go up because of that shit.

Shouldn't even have it here. The parking lot is for cars not some lame ass dirt bike. He needs to keep that piece of fiberglass crap out in the woods where it belongs. Let him ride in his brother's jeep since he's too much of a pussy to get a car of his own."

"I don't know, Bradley," a different male voice spoke up. "I heard that he nearly took you down."

"Oh, please. Like I couldn't whip his scrawny ass? He's just lucky that Mrs Riley showed up when she did or I would have bloodied him up good. Hale couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag."

"That's not the story that's going around."

"Then the story is all wrong. I nailed that punk with a couple of good rights and had him stumbling all over himself. Since he knew that he couldn't take me in a clean fight, he tried to catch me with a sucker punch while my back was turned. That was when Mrs. Riley stepped in between us and he slugged her instead. He's in some deep shit now. After that I'll be surprised if they even let him come back to this school. Probably put him in some correctional institute unless his daddy pulls him out and ships his ass off to military school.

Yeah, that's what Hale needs. Maybe some military discipline will teach him his place though with foster punk kids like that it's often hopeless. There's always a reason that they aren't with their real family. Troubled is what they call them and he certainly fits the bill."

"I always thought he was pretty nice," a soft feminine voice offered. "Just keeps to himself most of the time. Kinda quiet."

"That's because he's anti-social, Lisa. Sociopath or worse. Probably a psycho just waiting to go off."

The door to the classroom flew open as Alice barged her way inside.

"Liar! Bradley DeYoung, you take that back! Take it all back right now! You've gotten Jasper into trouble. He made a mistake, but you are just as much to blame since you ran over his jet bike and started all of this."

"I'm not taking anything back. Just because he's your boyfriend, brother or whatever sick perverted thing it is that the two of you have going on..."

The normally easy going pixie leaped up on the lab table and kicked the boy in his chest sending him sprawling onto the floor.

The boy jumped back to his feet and struck out at the dark haired girl as she hopped down next to him and dealt a stinging slap to his face.

"Tell the truth you little weasel. You didn't look where you were parking your truck and messed up his bike. Then you tried to pretend that you didn't see him because you're a chicken. As least Jasper can admit to his mistakes because he's a man while all you do is sneak off and try to hide like some sewer rat. Coward!"

"I am not," he spat as he balled up his fists threateningly. "Your creepy geeky brother started it and he got what he deserved. Now you will too, you crazy bitch."

Bradley suddenly yowled in pain as his fist collided with Alice's cheek fracturing his ring finger and pinky.

"Serves you right, you little worm," Alice snarled in fury as the boy curled up clutching his injured hand against his chest.

Within moments Mr. Camden, the Chemistry professor, had a firm grip on the spitting hellcat's arm as he pulled her away from the injured boy, but not before Alice slapped him again dragging her nails across the soft flesh of his face raising angry red welts in her wake.

"Miss Cullen, I don't know what's going on here, but I insist that you stop this minute. What has gotten into you?"

The tall athletic teacher was amazed at the strength of the petite girl as he struggled to subdue her. "You're in enough trouble. Don't make it any worse on yourself."

"Alice, what are you doing?"

Edward cupped his hands around her face and forced her to look away from the target of her frustration and focus on him.

"Edward?"

"Yeah, Ali. It's me. I heard the ruckus and came to see what was going on."

Alice abruptly froze in the professor's grip for a few seconds before her breath rushed out in a low heart wrenching sob.

"Edward, the things he was saying about Jazz. They aren't true and I just couldn't stand it."

"Shh, it's alright, Ali. What he thinks and says doesn't matter. We know the truth and that's enough. You need to calm yourself. You're not going to do Jasper any good by getting yourself into trouble."

"I'm afraid it's too late for that, Mr. Cullen. You're sister is just about to make a little visit to see Mr. Greene. Perhaps he can sort this all out."

Tears flooded Alice's eyes as she pleaded, "I'm sorry, Mr. Camden. I'm so sorry. Please just let me go back to class. You won't hear anymore from me."

"I can't do that Alice. You've caused too much of a disturbance and attacked one of my students. That isn't something that can be simply ignored."

"Oh no, please. I really need to get back to biology. I didn't mean to cause any trouble. This is all a huge mistake. I won't cause anymore trouble as long as I live."

Edward gave a little snort of laughter then turned grave as the teacher shook his head.

"Alice, you've left me with only one course of action."

With the girl no longer offering any resistance, the professor loosened his grip and watched as she fell into her brother's protective arms.

"Bradley, are you alright," Mr. Camden inquired as he quickly looked the boy over.

"That bitch broke my fucking hand!"

Edward ground his teeth, but it was Alice who snapped back at the trouble maker's comment.

"I did not. You punched me and broke it yourself, you little ..."

"Miss Cullen!"

Alice swallowed her outburst as she ducked her head at the teacher's stern rebuke.

"I don't know what is going on here, but at the moment I really don't care." Turning to his desk, the teacher quickly scribbled two notes.

Handing one note to the boy at Bradley's side, Mr. Camden ordered, "Tom, please escort Bradley to Mrs. Hammond and get that hand checked out. If it really is broken his parents will have to be informed so they can take him to the hospital."

"Oh no," Alice glanced up at the instructor with wide frightened eyes.

Misinterpreting her concern, the imposing man handed the second note to Alice and curtly instructed, "Oh, yes, Miss Cullen. You may now report to Mr. Greene's office and explain to him what you were doing out of your class and why you felt the need to attack a student in mine."

"Mr. Camden, please I can ..."

"Explain it to Mr. Greene." Shifting his gaze to Edward he further instructed, "And you would do well to return to your class, Mr. Cullen. I'm certain that your sister is quite capable of finding the office on her own."

"Yes, Sir," Edward replied respectfully even as his jaw clenched in annoyance. "Come on, Ali."

Aware that her argument was falling on deaf ears, Alice bowed her head and allowed Edward to lead her past the teacher and out into the hallway.

"Edward, I'm in so much trouble."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No. I don't want you to get into trouble for being out of class also. Jazz is already in trouble and now so am I. Someone needs to prove that we can behave." She gave her brother a weak smile as she brushed her tears away.

"Carlisle will understand."

"No. I don't want that. Go back to class. It's ... Well, it's not really okay, but eventually it will be."

Edward kissed Alice's forehead and gave her one last supportive hug before ducking his head to look into her worried eyes.

"I'll be checking in on you. If you need me..."

She nodded quickly. "I'll let you know."

With a explosive sigh, Edward let Alice drift away from him before turning back to his biology class where he knew that the current lecture would be the furthest thing from his mind.

Hearing the door to the classroom close, Alice sighed softly. As much as she appreciated her brother coming to her rescue, she couldn't stand the idea of him getting in trouble on her account. This day was terrible enough already without that added bit to round everything out.

With the tiny pink slip of paper clutched tightly in her hand, the pixie navigated the hallways once again with much less enthusiasm then just minutes before.

"Daddy is not going to be happy about any of this." _This is so not good._

Passing the school nurse's office, Alice heard the words that she was dreading the most.

"I'm afraid that you are going to have to have this x-rayed to be certain, but they do appear broken to me."

"Not good at all," she remarked in a hushed tone before continuing on toward the principal's office. "Maybe Daddy will get off early so he won't end up treating Bradley. But then he would be home before Momma and Jazz have their little talk." Alice sighed. "Talk about your no win situations."

Pushing the glass door open, the pixie soon found herself standing at Ms. Cope's desk, fidgeting nervously.

"Can I help you with something, dear?" The secretary smile kindly as she took the pink slip of paper from the girl's shaking hand.

Without looking up, Alice replied in a whisper. "I've been sent to see Mr. Greene. I'm in a little bit of trouble."

The secretary glanced at the note before looking back at the clearly frightened child in disbelief.

"Oh dear. Two Cullens in one day. There must be something in the water." A sympathetic expression colored the secretary's face as she stood. "Have a seat, Dear. I'll let Mr. Greene know that you're here. I'm sure he'll get everything sorted out quickly so you can get back to class."

Alice nodded as she settled down in a chair the still bore the scent of her mother who had occupied it not more than a hour ago.

_This is one of those days that we all would have been better off staying in bed even though we don't sleep. Momma is not going to be happy. I need to find a way to fix this before she gets involved._

"Miss Cullen?"

Alice turned her large sad eyes on the principal standing in the office doorway.

"Please come in. It would seem that we have some things to discuss."

Nodding slightly, Alice left her chair and slowly walked into the office with her head hung low as Mr. Greene closed the door behind her.

* * *

**AN: **Someone had to do something about Bradley and Alice was only too happy to step up and stand by her man. Sadly that loyalty has now landed her in some pretty bad trouble. There there is the fact that Brad had the gall to hit Alice. I don't see that sitting well with Jasper at all, but he and I already have plans for the little creep anyway.

Thanks so much for the likes, adds and such. You all are the best. My unending thanks to my wonder Beta Splinter who puts her busy life to the side to help me out. Her eyes bleed so yours don't have to.

The next chapter will be longer and more involved since Jazzy is going to have to face the wrath of Esme. The Major may very likely have met his match in Mama Bear.


	3. A Mother's Love

Ducking his head beneath a low hanging limb, Jasper stood at the edge of the forest surrounding the home that he shared with his family. It was normally such a warm welcoming sight, but at the moment a gloom seemed to darken the large expanses of windows that glared out in his direction.

The sudden cloud burst a short time ago that drenched him to the bone and now continued as a slow steady rain did little to improve his ominous outlook.

With a sigh, he noted that Edward's Volvo sat idle in the driveway instead of in it's usual protective space in the garage. Obviously his mother had indeed beaten him home and now was waiting for his arrival.

"No big surprise there," Jasper muttered as he ran his hand through his wet hair out of nervous habit. "She must have been too upset to pull into the garage. Has to be that whole not comfortable pulling into a confined space thing. Afraid that she'll scrape the car on something."

Curiously, the soldier found himself wondering what had been said after his rapid departure from the campus. Did Greene mention anything that had upset Esme further? Racking his brain he couldn't think of anything else that the administrator could have blindsided his mother with and settled on the fact that she was just upset by the entire proceeding.

What he was certain of was the fact that she would have made an apology for his out of character behavior before signing whatever incriminating form now resided in his academic record. This thought caused the youth to snarl softly in frustration.

He knew that in less than a decade that particular file would be completely obsolete. At least one new record would have spawned in another high school in yet another town that would hopefully shine a better light on him, so why did this one bother him so?

It was probably due to the fact that he had always been an apt pupil. There would be an occasion here or there where he might get caught up in some childish behavior, generally Emmett's doing, but no one had ever suggested that he needed to have his head examined. That was a new one and the implications shook him to his core.

Clutching the small bag that he carried tightly against his chest, the soldier folded his arms and leaned his back against a tree while rivulets of rainwater trickled down his cheeks and nose.

How in the hell was he supposed to go to a shrink? The very idea was insulting and even if he did have a problem there was no way that baring his soul to a human could ever be considered a wise, let alone helpful, move.

_When did I first appear to have trouble keeping my temper in check? Well Doc, let me just see. I would have to say that it all started around 1863 when this bitch of a vampire decided to stake a claim on me to help lead her army. She didn't care that I already had myself a nice soldiering career with the Confederacy. Oh yeah. Texas calvary. Best soldier to ever set a horse, that's me, but I ended up leading her army for damn near a hundred years. I should have stuck with the Civil War instead; it ended sooner. _

_Alright, maybe I am exaggerating just a tad. So it was actually closer to eighty years, but that is still a long fuckin' time to be put through my paces by that bloodthirsty power hungry whore. Well you know the way I figure, some of her attitude was bound to rub off on a guy, so my temper really isn't that much my fault after all. Just good old fashion conditioning._

_Now I know that I'm suppose to take responsibility for my mistakes, but you're looking at the boy that Maria built. It's easier to milk a jackrabbit on speed than it is to shake off what that woman did to me._

"Yep. I can see that going well." Jasper rolled his eyes and groaned quietly as he continued to scan the house for signs of life.

Even with the rain, he had expected to find Esme in the greenhouse tending her flowers. That was something that she was prone to do when she was feeling stressed, but the wild kingdom behind glass was dark and quiet as if it had been forgotten. Jasper took that to be an extremely bad sign. Maybe he had managed to stress her out so badly that her normal means of relaxation no longer worked.

_Damn it, Whitlock. You've gone and broke Esme._

He could always help her to relax some with his soothing influence. The youth gave that idea a few seconds of thought before shaking his head violently.

_How many times does that stunt have to land your sorry butt in trouble before you just quit it? Esme will think that you're trying to mellow her out so you can duck your punishment and that will only serve to put you deeper in the shit. But..._

Jasper cocked his head to the side as he toyed with the idea some more.

_Maybe you can work it so that she doesn't realize that you're doing anything. You have gotten sneakier over the years. Hell, maybe she will let you slide some when it comes to paying your dues if she's not as worked up. Come on, in reality it would be doing her a favor, right? You already know that she feels awful over just the idea of punishing you. Why put her through the torture of actually having to go through with it if there's no need?_

The boy abruptly snorted as he bowed his head to rub his eyes.

_Oh, I don't know? Maybe because Carlisle and Esme would both end up killing you once it's discovered that you screwed around with her emotions. What has gotten into you, Whitlock? Have you gone completely daft?_

With a rumbling growl that resonated with the distant thunder, the soldier shut his eyes as he knocked the back of his head against the tree.

_Get it together, ya damn chicken. This isn't gonna get any easier the longer you stand out here pussyfootin' around. You know it's gonna be bad, but it can't be too bad or Alice would have said something to ya. Who would you rather deal with? Esme now or Carlisle later?_

Jasper quickly glanced at the car in the drive and then back at the house.

_Carlisle._

He nodded his head at the thought.

_At least with Carlisle I know exactly what I would be walking into. Not so sure with Esme, but I know enough to realize that crossin' a female is NEVER a smart move._

Heaving a sigh, the soldier stepped out of the meager shelter of the trees.

_And neither is keepin' 'em waitin'._

With a feeling of foreboding, Jasper picked his way across the yard and dragged himself up the steps leading to the front door. Shaking the rain off his jacket, he slid his hand into the pocket of his jeans, but his eyes suddenly widened as he found no key there. Looking around on the ground at his feet, his mind reeled with thoughts of places that he may have lost them until a memory flared to life.

Groaning, Jasper closed his eyes and ground his teeth as his head drooped in defeat and disgust. He had given his keys to Alice this morning when the fight broke out and in the chaos that followed he had forgotten to get them back. Well, at least Emmett would have the use of them to bring the bike home.

_Like they'll do him a lick of good._

With a huff, he slipped his purchase out of the sodden disintegrating bag before tossing what was left of the packaging towards the trash can at the side of the house.

Turning the little offering over in his hands, he sighed before safely pocketing it and knocked gently on the door.

In a matter of moments, Esme was standing in the entrance way looking out through the thick glass pane at her soaking, sad, wide-eyed son in confusion.

"I forgot my keys," he stated simply with a shrug of his shoulders as a crack of lightening illuminated his features.

Opening the door, the matriarch reached for her boy and pulled him into an embrace as tears flooded her eyes.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?"

"Yes, ma'am. Some," he replied as he laid his head against her shoulder and gave himself over to a few moments of welcoming comfort before the coming storm.

"I didn't even know what to think when you left like that."

"You should have been thinking that I was a plumb fool. I'm sorry, Momma. I know I shouldn't have gone off like that, but I just couldn't stay there any longer. I couldn't think straight and ... Well, I was a mite scared."

Placing her hands on his shoulders, Esme pushed her son away until she held him at arm's length and stared up into his eyes.

"Jasper Cullen, you know better than to try to run away from your problems. Nothing has ever been solved by running."

"Oh, I don't know if I can completely agree with you on that one, ma'am. Running away from Maria sure solved some issues for me and that was a huge problem. Runnin' aint always all bad." He gave her a playful smirk only to have it turn into a grimace seconds later as a vicious sting engulfed his left haunch.

"Young man, this is not a joking matter. Apparently you have no idea how much trouble you're in," Esme reprimanded sharply as she folded her arms and glared at her boy.

"I believe that you cleared that up for me quite well, ma'am. Dang, but you know when a body's wet that smack hurts all the more," Jasper remarked as he rubbed his cheek before his mother's displeasure swept over him to make him shiver. "Sorry, Momma. I was just trying to lighten the mood a little."

"Attacking another student, damaging his property, hitting a teacher... These are all very serious offenses on their own, Jasper, but then you added to them with your disrespectful attitude and running off on me. Do you think that your father is going to accept this behavior from you? Do you think he would appreciate you trying to lighten the mood? Would you be joking around with him?"

The soldier bowed his head and shook it slowly, sending a sprinkling of droplets all around him.

"No, ma'am."

"Then I suggest that you show me the same respect that you would show him. Just in case you didn't realize it let me tell you something; you are in a world of trouble right now, young man. I am terribly disappointed in your behavior and I am not going to stand for it any longer."

"Yes, ma'am. I know that just as I know Papa isn't gonna be any happier than you are. I'll consider myself lucky if he doesn't skin me alive."

The hanged dog appearance of her son caused the matriarch's anger to recede slightly. Gently taking a hold of his chin, Esme lifted Jasper's head until they were once again face to face. Seeing the darkness bleeding into his normally bright amber eyes made her sigh as her silent heart broke for her soldier boy.

"Your Papa will do nothing of the kind," she stated quietly. "This is something that will stay between us as long as you don't give me any more trouble."

His eyes widened before he whispered, "Ya mean ya aint gonna tell him?"

"He has to know what's happened, Jasper. You know that I don't keep anything from Carlisle, but I will assure him that your behavior has been dealt with and that nothing of the sort will ever happen again. There will be no need for him to revisit what I've already set straight."

Releasing his chin, she lightly brushed his hair back and out of his face.

"Again, this is still contingent on how you act with me from here on out."

"Yes, ma'am. I understand that."

Esme continued to hold his gaze for a few more moments before nodding.

"Then go up stairs and get out of those wet clothes. You've tracked up enough of the house already. It will be best for you to take a hot shower and go rest for a little while. Try to relax some, Jazz. You're becoming far too nervous without any good reason."

The boy's head fell as he made a conscious effort to pull his emotions back in.

"I think there's reason enough, Momma."

The matriarch sighed softly. "You've brought this on yourself, baby."

"Yes, ma'am." His shoulders sagged under the weight of the guilt that he carried.

Gently caressing his cheek, his mother wished for another option while being fully aware that none would be forthcoming.

"Go on, Sweetheart. I'll get things cleaned up down here while you shower. It will give me the time I need to do some rethinking, but I'll be up soon. I promise that I won't make this harder on you by forcing you wait for too long. Besides, school lets out in a few hours and we want this over and done with before anyone comes home."

"Yes, ma'am, but..."

A look of concern crossed Esme's face.

"What is it, baby?"

"Momma, if it's alright with you...," Jasper swallowed hard and cleared his throat before looking up at Esme through large liquid tawny colored eyes. "Well...I know..."

He shook his head and tried again.

"Earlier. At school. We have a bit of unfinished business from earlier. You..."

He bit his bottom lip while inhaling deeply before fishing the small package out of his pocket. Passing the box to Esme, Jasper exhaled in a sigh as he raised his head and met her questioning gaze.

"You made me a promise of what would happen, but I didn't listen. It's already wet." He tipped his head towards the door to draw her attention outside. "Because of the rain."

The saturated cardboard box fell apart in her hand to reveal a green and white striped bar of soap.

"I kinda think of it as a separate incident and would like to get it over with as soon as possible." He bowed his head while softly adding, "That is, if it's okay with you."

Jasper's little lost boy countenance threatened Esme's resolve as her heart tended to bleed quite easily for her children. She knew that his punishment in all its possible forms had been well earned, but the matriarch found herself faltering at his request.

"Jasper, take this back and use it for your shower. If I decide that your mouth still needs a thorough cleaning, I'll get my own soap. There was no need for you to do this."

"It's like picking my own switch, Momma. Puts the responsibility for my punishment in my hands. Nothing wrong with that.

I was inexcusably rude and we both know that Papa would have snatched me bald on the spot if he heard the things that I said. There is never an excuse for speaking the way I did in front of a lady and I'm aware that I deserve to be chastised for it. I'd much prefer that it come from you instead of Papa since it was you that I hurt."

Esme glanced down at the innocent looking cake in her hand and sighed inwardly.

"If you do it now and get it out of the way, that will be one less thing on my mind while I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Having it out of the way might help me be able to relax a little more... though I doubt there will be much relaxing regardless."

She looked up at her boy and noticed that his eyes had turned a deeper shade of brown as they headed towards stress induced ebony. It was then that the matriarch made up her mind.

"Join me in the kitchen, Jasper," she softly stated in an authoritative voice and walked away with no question in her mind that he would follow her.

Taking one of the bar stools from the island counter, Esme placed it directly in front of the sink and motioned for the youth to have a seat.

Without complaint, Jasper sat down and rested his clasped hands in his lap as he intently watched his mother's every move.

Grabbing a clean dish towel, she dampened it and quickly lathered it up with Jasper's procured soap of choice. The harsh scent burned her nose making her question the validity of the proposed punishment, but a glance at her expectant son and her hesitation vanished.

"Jasper, I can honestly say that I was shocked, by your word choice today. I have never known you to be that crude. It is unbecoming and simply appalling coming from the mouth of a gentleman."

His head lowered, but he still kept a watchful eye on the woman as she continued to add soap to the cloth.

"I'm sorry, Momma. Really I am."

"I'm sure that you are, but that behavior is most certainly unacceptable. I can't allow it to continue, Jasper." Turning to face her boy, the determined little brunette gave her soldier a reprehending look. "It would have been bad enough if you had spoken to me that way in private, but you acted up before officials at your school. You made quite the public spectacle of yourself and embarrassed me, young man. That will not occur a second time."

Lightly cradling his chin in her hand, Esme lifted Jasper's head while quietly ordering, "Open your mouth, Son."

Swallowing hard and drawing a breath, the southerner slowly complied.

His mother swiftly went to work scrubbing every inch of his mouth and tongue with the soapy rag while Jasper groaned and coughed in disgust. Once she was sufficiently satisfied with her job, the matriarch laid the foaming rag on her son's tongue before gently tapping him beneath his jaw to encourage him to close his mouth.

"I think a five minute soak time should be sufficient to make sure that none of that filth remains behind. What do you think, Jazz?"

The soldier moaned while lowering his head until his chin touched his chest.

"Oh no you don't." Esme caught his chin and brought his head level. "Like I told you at school, just because I don't usually do this, that doesn't mean that I can't. I'm also wise to all the little tricks that children use to lessen the effects of their punishment. I was a little girl once; a little girl who got into mischief often enough to have mastered several tricks of her own. That rag should keep the soap from dribbling out, but we're not going to take any chances with the likelihood of that happening anyway, so you will keep that handsome head of yours up."

Jasper groaned and tipped his head back for a moment, but almost immediately he began to cough and gag as suds flowed down his throat.

"I told you to keep your head level, Honey. You just did that to yourself."

Esme set the timer on the stove for five minutes before leaning back against the counter with her arms crossed to supervise her errant son.

"I don't ever want to hear words like that coloring up your speech again. You're much too intelligent to behave that way, Jasper. I know that you were upset and I do realize that there was cause to be upset, but you will always conduct yourself as a gentleman. You are so much better than what I witnessed from you today."

Brushing his wet hair back, she looked deeply into his sad dark eyes.

"You have no idea how proud you make me. I am grateful to have you as my son, Jasper. You've brought so much joy into this family and I know that I don't tell you that nearly enough, but today... Today was pretty far removed from my proudest moments."

Unable to effectively look away, Jasper closed his eyes as the shame of his actions churned his stomach as much as the swallowed soap did.

"Major Witlock," Esme called softly, but with a touch of authority that caused him to open his eyes and refocus on her. "One of the things that makes me so proud is the strength of your heart. Through all that you have suffered..." She rubbed her thumb over the multiple scars that marred his jaw as she spoke, "You have never truly lost sight of who you are. You, Jasper Cullen, are my genteel southern gentleman. I am accustomed to you being polite, courteous and respectful. A gracious young man who rarely utters a harsh word, at least not in my presence.

Because this is who I know you are in here." His mother placed her hand over his heart drawing a sigh from the boy. "I will not entertain the coarseness and disrespect that I saw from you today regardless of the provocation.

Now, I want you to sit here and think about that until the timer goes off. I'm only going to step away for a minute to get some cleaning supplies out of the garage, but I expect you to keep that head up and stay right here until I get back."

Jasper nodded slightly as he looked up at his mother through venom blurred eyes, unsure if the fumes from the soap or the woman's words bore the greater responsibility for his tears.

Leaning over, Esme kissed the top of Jasper's head before giving his shoulder a little squeeze.

"That's my Major. I'll be right back."

Once the feisty brunette was safely out of the room, the soldier allowed his head to droop.

She was right of course and he knew it. This was not the first time that an ignorant teen had pissed him off. Normally he would have simply walked away, but this little weasel really got under his skin. In the grand scheme of things none of them were really worth his time, so why now? Why this kid?

Jasper knew in his heart that Rose would be able to fix his baby so there was no reason for him to go off half cocked like that. Maybe it was a matter of pride. He really didn't know for sure. All that he was certain of was that in a moment of weakness he had completely given up his power to that sniveling jerk.

Jasper glanced over at the timer and sighed softly while wondering if he would ever be able to get the rank taste of soap out of his mouth. Fighting not to swallow the frothy venom and soap mix that swirled in his mouth regardless of the absorption ability of the towel, his mind drifted back to the little snot that caused him to be in this situation.

_It's your fault; not his. You were the one who let him control you. Because you were so blinded by your anger, you put yourself in this pickle. Got no one else to blame, Whitlock no matter how hard you try. _

_Your tantrum was uncalled for and you do know better than to be cussing around a lady; more so when that lady is your mother. Carlisle wouldn't go for you cussin' like that period. Might have made you feel a little better to blow off steam at the time, but doesn't seem to be worth it at all now, does it?_

_All you did was upset your momma and even somehow managed to make Greene think that you're being abused. Good going there, Chief. Damn, but you've got some real talent when it comes to being an out and out screw up. _

"Head up, Jasper. Please don't make me have to tell you again."

Seconds later the timer signaled the end of his punishment, but the boy patiently waited for his mother's okay before spitting the rag out into the sink.

"Rinse up and then go take your shower, Jazz."

Hopping up from the stool, Jasper poked his head beneath the faucet to let the cool water flow over his tongue washing the worst of the foul taste away. After a few seconds he stood back up and faced the matriarch while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I think that I'll pick a different brand next time. That green stuff is just plain awful."

"There had better not be a next time, young man. I mean it," Esme scolded as she stepped around him to reclaim her towel and lightly snapped it against his rump. "I can make things much harder for you if I have to."

"Momma, I would never dream of testing your resolve," he responded honestly as he rubbed his backside. "I'll admit that I'm stubborn, but I aint stupid."

"I never thought that you were, sweetheart. Exactly the opposite, if you want to know the truth. Now, how about leaving your wet clothes here and I'll go put them in the laundry?"

His eyes widened. "But..."

Esme waved her hand as she nodded. "Just the jacket and shirt. I'll let you keep your pants for the time being."

Jasper groaned as he stripped off as many layers as he could and still retain his dignity while his mind focused on the implications of her words.

"Honey, you know that it's going to happen. There's no point in trying to pretend that it won't. You can't tell me that you didn't know what to expect the moment that you struck that teacher."

"I did, Momma, but I really would rather not think about it right now. Since you're the one that I'm answering to, I had hoped that you might let me keep ..."

"I'll consider it, but I'm not making any promises."

Jasper handed over his clothes then wrapped his arms around the upper portion of his chest to hide some of his scarring as his head bowed in embarrassment. "I'll just be going up stairs then."

"Sweetheart, please realize that humiliating you is not my intention, but I need to make an impression on you so I can honestly tell your father that you've learned your lesson."

Esme shifted the wet clothes into one arm while hooking the other behind the soldier's neck to pull him down so she could kiss his cheek.

"I'll be up in a while. Try not to worry too much, Baby. It will all be over soon."

"I wish that was true, but even if Papa doesn't tear into me, I'm sure I'll get an earful just the same. Then there is that point of seeing a shrink before they let me go back."

"Carlisle may fuss a little, but you know that he won't harp on you. The psych evaluation might be a bit more complicated. Hopefully he has a friend at work who owes him a favor and he can just get someone to sign off on that."

Esme brushed the hair out of his eyes while noting the overwhelming sadness swirling within their dark depths.

"Though maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea for you to talk to someone."

His shocked expression made her quickly amend her words.

"I'm not saying to talk to someone about this supposed problem you have with controlling your anger. It's just that it might be good for you to talk in general and get whatever is bothering you off your chest."

"I have Alice for that. She is my confidant. I also know that I can come to you or Carlisle. Heck, even Rosalie has listened to me ramble on a time or two. I've already got a sizable support system in place."

"I'm only saying that Mr. Greene is not completely off the mark. Sometimes it does help to talk to someone on the outside and there is no reason to be embarrassed if that's what you need."

"I don't."

"Well, think about it a little before you completely close the door on the idea."

"Yes, ma'am, but I won't be changin' my mind."

"And no one is going to force you to do so, but I will chase you out of here. Now, scoot. I have things to do and you're holding up progress."

Esme turned him towards the stairs and gave him a gentle whap to get him moving.

"Can't blame a guy for trying to postpone getting his hide tanned," he called back as he quickly mounted the steps.

"No, I can't, but I doubt that you will appreciate having Emmett over hear you being punished so I would have thought that getting this over quickly would have been a top priority."

"I can handle, Emmett. If he gives me a hard time I'll just have to knock his block off."

"Jasper Whitlock Cullen, you will do no such thing."

"Just joking, Momma, but we still wouldn't want Em to fire up my anger since I have management issues and all."

Esme could hear the smirk in her boy's words and shook her head, but sighed in relief when she heard the shower come to life.

Putting her son's clothes and her soap laden towel in the washing machine, the matriarch sighed.

"I don't know that I have what it takes to go through with this. Maybe I should have left things up to Carlisle. This is just a little too much strain on my heart, but I have to do right by my son."

The ringing of the house phone jerked Esme from her thoughts and summoned her back into the kitchen.

"Hello? Oh, Ms. Cope, what can I do... What? Please tell me that you are joking. Yes. I just can't believe she would do such a thing. Certainly. I think that is more than fair. Of course Mr. Greene has the complete support of my husband and myself. Please let him know that we'll discuss this with her this evening and she should give him no further trouble. I am so sorry. I just can't understand what has gotten into them today." Esme laughed softly. "You may just be right. Well thank you again for letting me know and please feel free to call anytime. You too, Ms. Cope. Bye."

Replacing the phone in it's cradle, the emotionally weary woman retrieved the stool from near the sink and placed it back in it's home at the island. Sitting down, she buried her head in her folded arms as they rested on the counter.

"When it rains, it pours. What's next? Emmett? Oh, please, God forbid that."

Her ears perked up at the sound of the shower being turned off followed several minutes later by the patter of feet and the closing of a bedroom door. Glancing at the clock Esme decided to give her boy a half an hour to unwind a bit before finally putting an end to this part of today's fiasco. That would still give them plenty of time before the rest of her children returned. The matriarch knew she would eventually find herself in a little discussion with her pixie daughter which was something that she was not looking forward to.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle, but this one is on you. I'll talk to her, but you're going to have to be the one to correct your daughter's behavior. The last thing I need is to have to take Jasper back in hand for being over protective and getting aggressive with me. Once in a day is hard enough for my poor heart. I just can't imagine..."

Sighing, she began to gather her nerve for what she was about to do.

"I'll deal with the Major, but Daddy's girl is all yours, Lover. I tried to give you a break, but it seems that our children had other plans. Then again, what's life without a little drama? Boring which is something that we can never be accused of being."

Sitting up, Esme supported her head on her hand as she watched the seconds tick by on the wall clock. Finally, she stood and walked over to the utensil draw. After several seconds of searching she found what she was looking for and tucked the item carefully in the back pocket of her jeans.

"Alright, Major Cullen, let's get this done. Ready or not, here comes Momma."

Her light quick steps swiftly carried her up the stairs to stand before her son's door seconds later. Raising her small fist to knock on the door, her actions were interrupted by a quiet voice from the other side.

"Come in, Momma. I'm ready."

_I wish I was, Baby._

Slowly opening the door she stepped inside and closed it gently.

Jasper sat at attention on the very edge of his bed looking up at her with near black eyes. The tension in his muscles caused him to quiver ever so slightly and he cupped his hands together between his knees in an attempt to keep them from shaking. Contrary to his admission, Esme's boy didn't appear any more comfortable with facing this ordeal than she was.

Sitting down next to him on the bed, the matriarch placed a comforting hand gently on his knee and gave her son a little smile.

"It's okay, Jasper. It's just me. There's no need to be nervous, sweetheart."

"I know, Momma." His onyx eyes rested on her hand as a tear rolled down his cheek. "It's just that... Well, the last woman to... She beat me something fierce. She beat me so badly that I prayed to God that I would die so the pain would stop. Oh, Momma, I'm so scared."

Esme's gallant soldier suddenly threw his arms around her as he broke down in heart-wrenching sobs while his tears flowed free and dampened her shoulder.

"Please don't hurt me, Momma. Please don't beat me," he wailed pitifully.

The matriarch hugged the broken boy tightly as she kissed the top of his head and rocked him slowly in her arms.

"It's okay, Jazzy. Shhh. You're safe. Momma has you and she will never let anything bad happen to you. Shh. Calm down, baby. It's all going to be alright."

_Looks like you screw this up completely, Esme. Didn't think about how his past with Maria might affect him, now did you? Not quite as smart as you thought you were. I sure hope that you've got some plan up your sleeve because you're going to need it.  
_

Esme continued to hold Jasper and offer him emotional support while murmuring soft words of comfort even as her mind reeled.

_Looks like this just became a very long afternoon which will likely lead into an even longer night._

Laying her cheek on top of her son's head, Esme continued to whisper as the boy shook violently in her arms.

"It's alright, Sweetheart. There's nothing to worry about. Shh. Momma has you. Just relax. Momma's here." _God, please give me strength._

* * *

**AN: **Not all is as it seems.

Looks like the Major is about to lose his pants so I can pass the challenge back to edwardian1901 or Ruby. Yes, it took long enough, but I'm actually aiming for a double header since he's about to be pantless in Dark Justice as well. ;-)

Well, Momma has her hands full. Thankfully, her soldier boy didn't fight her with washing his mouth out, but that was still extremely hard for the soft-hearted nurturing Esme. She would much prefer to coddle her baby (as she finally was able to do in the end), but she knows when Jasper needs her to be strong. Not sure that Jasper is really welcoming that strength at the moment, but he will still be relying on it regardless.

Thank y'all for sharing your comments, thoughts and ideas. You guys most certainly keep me inspired. Naturally, this wouldn't work nearly as well without my tireless Beta, Splinter whom I don't want to ever be without. I will be forever thankful for the day she PMed me and offered to lend me a hand.

Now to get Jasper calmed back down so Esme can take care of business and get ready for Alice. All in a days work for a Momma bear with rambunctious cubs.


	4. Fallen Angels

As the matriarch soothed her son, she felt her resolve slipping further and further. Could she really continue to put him through this obvious emotional pain? Her intentions had been to save him from the long drawn out suffering that came from waiting and worrying. While she rarely raised a hand to her children, Esme would never claim to be a proponent of the 'wait until your father gets home' train of thought. Her remaining disjointed human memories contained several such instances happening to her in her childhood. The anxiety that came with sitting in her room to await her fate was always harder to endure than the eventual paddling which would always swiftly put things back to right.

Because of Jasper's unique ability, she knew that he suffered terribly whenever he was forced to wait for his father to return from work. She would find herself becoming jumpy as the youth helplessly projected his fear throughout the house and infected its inhabitants. While Carlisle made a habit of sending the rest of the children out to hunt or on some other mission in an effort to spare his miscreant a measure of embarrassment, when that miscreant was their southern soldier this thoughtfulness was also a means of sheltering the siblings from Jasper's distress.

Esme was usually the last to leave so she benefited the least and had often been battered by the boy's apprehension for many hours before her husband's arrival, making her feel like she was being punished along with her son.

She didn't want that for him; not this time. Esme had been willing to put her heart on the line and punish him herself in apparently some misguided attempt to save him, but instead he appeared to be hurting worse.

With a sigh, she gently stroked his hair as he curled up a little tighter against her.

"There's no reason to be frightened, baby. I would never treat you like Maria did. You know that don't you?"

She felt him nod against her neck.

"We can wait for your father to come home from the hospital if you would be more comfortable with him. I never meant to cause you this much anguish, my love. I am so sorry to have stirred up such horrible memories."

"I don't want to wait that long. I don't think that I can. I'm the one who is sorry, Momma; sorry for acting like some terrified infant." He sniffled as his tears continued to fall. "I want it all over and done with, but..."

"I know that you're scared, honey and that's totally understandable after the terrible things that you've been forced to endure. Please forgive me for not thinking about what had happened to you." Pushing him back enough to see his troubled face, Esme wiped the tears from her boy's stained cheeks. "You know that I would make it all go away if I could, but I'm afraid that is beyond my ability. I won't make you relive what Maria put you through though. Carlisle should be getting off of work soon so you and he can work this all out. He won't make you wait too long, baby. Everything will be alright, Jazz. You'll see."

Inhaling sharply, the soldier shook his head.

"Please, Momma, can't you..."

"I don't think so, Sweetheart. If you're frightened this badly I don't see how you can possibly learn anything except to fear me and that isn't anything that I want my children feeling."

Esme found herself straining to make out his words as Jasper faintly whispered,"But, Papa will think of me as a spineless coward. I couldn't live with that."

Brushing a stray lock out of his face, Esme smiled gently. "You know better than that. He would never believe that you were even capable of being such a thing."

"You're mistaken. I've already disgraced myself by running away from you once today. Please save me from shaming myself further. I won't bitch and moan anymore. I will take my whoopin' like a man should, I promise, and I won't become scared of you. I know the difference between you and Maria. You're my sweet loving Momma who wouldn't harm a fly. I don't know why I just acted like that."

Sniffling softly, Jasper wiped the back of his hand over his face to dry his tears before facing Esme again with a determined gleam in his eyes.

"I can do this. I can do this and not become more broken than I already am."

"You are not broken, but I just don't know, Sweetheart."

"Please, Momma. Don't make me have to humiliate myself any more than I already have. Please?"

One look at the earnest pleading expression on her son's face and Esme's resistance crumbled. Sighing softly, the matriarch nodded before fixing her boy with a piercing stare.

"On one condition. The moment that you feel frightened or, God forbid, find yourself flashing back to your time leading that army, you will let me know immediately. It would kill me to know that I caused you any harm, Jasper. I need your word that you won't let that happen by stopping me if it appears that we're headed down that path."

"You have my word as a gentleman," Jasper nodded in all seriousness before releasing a breath that he was unaware of having held. "We'll make it through this together."

"That's the only way we can do it, Baby," Esme responded gently while carding her fingers through his hair before pulling him into a final supportive hug. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Easing himself from her embrace, the soldier slipped off the bed to stand in front of his mother and face his punishment head-on as he had been taught to do over a century ago.

"You know, Jasper, the last thing that you ever need to worry about is anyone thinking that you are cowardly. The way that you have just faced your fears is a perfect example of your courage. Your father would be so proud of you right now."

Esme gave the youth a warm smile only to have him lower his head and avert his eyes.

Leaning forward, she cupped his chin and raised his head back up until their eyes met.

"You need to learn how to accept praise, Sweetheart." She ruffled his head as she continued to smile. "There is no reason to be self conscious. Conquering your fear is very admirable. Not many people have the strength of character to do that on their own. Take pride in your accomplishment, Jasper. You've earned it."

Forcing himself to hold her soft gaze, the southerner swallowed hard to suppress the bile like venom that rose up to burn his throat.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll try," he answered softly in a low hoarse voice. "Where do you want me?"

"Right here, Honey." Esme patted her lap and noted her son's head lowering again in spite of her little pep talk.

"Wouldn't it be easier on you if I just lean down over the bed or my desk?"

The matriarch appeared to consider his suggestion before shaking her head. "No, love, I think this will give me far better control over you. It will help me keep you safe."

If he had the power to blush, the boy knew that he would be blazing red. As it was his ears felt hot even with that being an impossibility.

_Why is it that they feel the need to torture me like this? I already feel like a naughty little rug rat. For the life of me, I don't see the need to drive that point home any harder. _

___Don't fight. You promised that you would fight this. You have to take it like a man._ Guess it could be worse though. With that thought in mind the soldier did his best to rein in his sudden burst of nervousness.

"And what of...?" Jasper's throat and mouth went dry causing him to cough violently. With a ragged forcibly exhaled breath, he reached for the belt at his waist. "My jeans?"

"I was going to say down, but I think we can forgo that tradition this one time. I'm sure that I can get my point across regardless."

"That fact was never in fear of any doubt, ma'am."

The Major gave a quiet sigh as he carefully laid down across his mother's lap and hid his face in his arms.

Esme adjusted Jasper slightly, but did her best to leave him mainly in the position that he had taken hoping that would keep him more comfortable. Reaching for his pillow, she arranged it within easy reach only to have the youth quickly claim it and place it over his head in an attempt to block out the world around him.

Feeling Jasper's anxiety as her own, Esme took several slow deep breathes before she was finally able to regain control over her emotions.

"Jasper, can you tell me why you're being punished?"

The pillow rose and fell slightly as he nodded before a mumbled reply was heard.

"I've behaved like a holy terror. I got myself into a fight at school, accidentally punched a teacher, was rude to my principal and you and rounded out my glorious day by running away instead of staying put and facing the punishment that I deserved."

The matriarch rubbed her son's tense shoulders in an attempt to calm him while nodding as he ticked off his offenses, but when his discourse stopped so did her hand.

"You've missed one very important point, Baby. I know that we haven't discussed it like we should have, but you disobeyed well before you ever even arrived on the school grounds."

Jasper remained silent for several minutes as he reviewed his day and considered each separate action. Finally a deep resounding moan came from beneath the pillow.

"I broke a standing rule by riding my bike to school."

"That offense is second only to striking your teacher, Jasper. You know that you aren't allowed to ride it. It's too dangerous for one, but more importantly it is far too high profile and draws entirely too much attention. You father and I both have had this discussion with you on previous occassions.

Even though I still don't like the idea of such a dangerous mode of transportation, you are welcomed to ride on the weekends and after school where ever you would like to go. What you may not do is take it to school and show off around the other students. Even with your father's salary from the hospital, that is not something that would normally be within our budget."

"Yes, ma'am," he murmured dejectedly.

"Because you have chosen to flaunt this rule, once that motorcycle has been repaired you will not be allowed to ride it at all for three months."

"Three months!?" Jasper's head shot out from under the pillow as he stared incredulously at his mother. "You must be joking."

"I assure you that I am entirely serious. That bike will not leave the garage until I give you the okay."

"But, Momma, that's not fair."

"Jasper, I feel that I am being extremely fair with you. Personally, I would be more inclined to sell it outright because then I would never have to worry about anything like this happening again, but since it is a gift from your brother and I know that it gives you so much pleasure..."

"So you're just going to take it away from me for the better part of a year?"

"No, it's only three months, but if you insist I can make it six."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Son, let me remind you that you are not in the best position to argue with me at this moment. I suggest that you keep track of that tongue and be respectful. I am doing my best to be patient, but my patience is nearing its end."

Turning back around, the boy once again buried his head under the pillow as he huffed loudly before begrudgingly muttering, "Yes, ma'am. Three months."

Ignoring his surliness, Esme began to rub Jasper's shoulders once more.

"I will expect written apologizes to Mr. Greene and ... Mrs. Riley, is it?"

"Yes, ma'am. I already planned on doing that."

"Very good, Jazz. And finally, you are confined to the house until further notice. Once you've proven to me that you've learned your lesson, then I'll think about granting you your freedom."

"Like it matters since I don't have any transportation to go anywhere," Jasper whispered under his breath, only to find that he wasn't quite as quiet as he thought he was.

A gunshot loud crack assaulted his ears seconds before a nest of hornets landed on his rear to set it a blaze.

"OW! Christ on a cracker! What was that for?" Jasper exclaimed as his head jerked up sending the pillow flying.

"You know very well, young man. I've warned you enough. While I don't wish for you to be frightened of me, you will show me respect," Esme answered in a soft even voice.

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry about that." The soldier blew his breath out in a huff as he rubbed his rump for all it was worth.

"Are we done with the smart comments or should I expect more interruptions?"

"No, ma'am. I'm done. Kittie will just have to do without me for a few months. I'm sure that she'll get over it. Maybe I can get visitation rights while Rose is working on her?"

"I see no harm in that, Jasper as long as I have the keys when Rose isn't directly using them."

He nodded his head as he whispered a soft, "Yessum."

"Now that we have that finally straightened out, I don't see any point in putting this off any longer."

Jasper stop breathing as he felt his mother's arm tighten around his waist.

"Jasper Whitlock Cullen, I don't ever want to get another call from your school like I did today. Do you understand me, young man? You were raised better than that and I expect much better from you."

The boy closed his eyes when felt his mother's body shift with the raising of her hand. With the loss of his pillow covering, Jasper wrapped his arms over his head as he burrowed into the folds of the comforter, praying that it would serve to muffle his cries.

From the first stroke it was clear that Esme meant business and would be taking no prisoners today. The soldier hissed through his tightly clenched teeth as the alternating swats quickly took their toll on his tender backside.

_Nothing in this word is more fierce than a momma bear protecting her cub. It doesn't make a damn bit of difference if she is protecting him from a rampaging boar or if she is just protecting that cub from his own stupid crap, she's still a force to be reckoned with. Thank God for the wonder of denim._

Jasper found himself powerless to suppress his pain filled yelps, but also discovered that the first few strokes to follow his embarrassing verbal outburst tended to fall somewhat lighter. Putting aside his pride for the time being, the boy whimpered pitifully and was rewarded with milder blows from his mother's firm hand.

While she was still certainly making an impression upon the youth's sore hide, Esme was subconsciously lightening the spanking to a level that was much more easily endured by the boy. Jasper continued to mewl and yelp on cue, but gradually found his body relaxing enough to allow whatever chemical currently filled the role of endorphins to activate and dull the worst of the pain. The sharp burning localized sting of each stroke subsided to a dull throbbing of his entire behind. The soldier knew that he would be sore for the next couple of hours, but he would heal from his mother's punishment quickly and by nightfall he would likely feel fine enough for a romp with Alice. Jasper found himself suddenly grateful to the comforter that kept his face hidden since he was finding it impossible to wipe the self satisfied grin from his face.

"You're doing great, Baby. We're almost done here."

Esme shifted her son forward to position his rear more fully over her right thigh as she elevated her knee ever so slightly to grant better access to the tender weight bearing areas of his cheeks.

Finally taking a deep breath, Jasper whimpered softly, "Momma, please don't. I've learned my lesson. I swear that I have."

With her soldier's plea tugging at her heart, Esme found it necessary to remind herself that she was doing this for his own good. She was taking up Carlisle's mantle this time and she needed to be certain that she would be able to assure her mate of their son's reformation. She had to make sure that she followed through and did right by everyone.

"I'm sure that you have, Honey, but I need you to remember this for a long time to come. I think an even dozen should do the trick."

_I can handle a dozen. Piece of cake._

A hard solid whamp shook his confidence as a small square of his skin ignited.

"Yow! What's...? That's not your hand."

"No, Jazz. I decided to end with a dose of Momma's little helper."

Before he could question her further, the harsh implement burned a line of square shaped spots along the crease of his rear and the tops of his thighs only to make a final appearance in two hard strokes aimed directly at the center of each cheek.

This time Jasper's yelps were genuine as were the tears that rolled down his face.

The fire continued to increase, even though he could feel his mother's hand lightly stroking his back while she cooed soft words of forgiveness, praise and comfort. For just a moment, Jasper found himself wishing that Esme had taken his jeans down or that he had changed into sleep pants because his wonderfully protective denim had quickly turned on him as it held in the biting heat of his mother's last few punishing blows.

Sniffling, the Major finally forced himself off his mother's lap to stand a little wobbly on his feet. With no small amount of embarrassment, Jasper quickly brushed the tears off his face and wiped at his runny nose before Esme passed him some tissues magically produced from her pocket.

It was several more minutes until he was able to look her in the eyes only to be surprised at the tears shimmering within their golden depths.

"Are you okay, Sweetie? You're not scared of me now, are you?"

The youth offered his mother a sad expression before shaking his head slowly while rubbing his aching backside.

"But I am a bit frightened of whatever that Helper was."

Lowering her head slightly to hide her smile, Esme produced a light violet tinted silicon spatula that she casually twirled in her fingers.

"Wooden spoon version 2.0?" The boy's brow furrowed as he glared at the hated implement.

"Something of that nature. Silicon; so it gives unlike something made of wood. I have to be careful because the handle can still snap, but over all I find that it did a decent job in getting your attention."

"You can say that again. No offense, Momma, but it would not hurt my feelings in the least should those things become endangered in this house."

Jasper sniffled a bit more as he shuffled from foot to foot attempting to ease his discomfort.

"Come here, Jazz."

Esme invited her son with open arms that he was only too grateful to fall into. With him wrapped tightly in her protective embrace and gently cradled in her lap, the matriarch felt Jasper shudder as he began to weep in earnest.

"Oh, Sweetie, are you sure that you're okay?"

He nodded against her shoulder while tightening his grip around her slight frame.

"I'm sorry. I don't deserve your..."

"Shush, now. I know that you're sorry, baby and I know that in the future you will behave like a gentleman should you find yourself in a similar situation. You're a fine young man, Jasper. I think there are times that you forget that, but you are and always will be my honest noble son."

"No, I'm not; not always."

"Of course you are. A mistake now and again can hardly change who you really are." Drawing him back to catch his eye, Esme smiled while pushing a mat of damp blonde hair out of his face. "A mother knows her child, Jasper Cullen. You are a good person through and through and no one, not even you, will ever convince me differently.

No one is perfect, my love and no one expects you to be. There are bound to be at least a few little bumps in the road, but they're not much more than minor inconveniences. We'll just take them as they come and together we'll smooth them out."

Jasper lowered his head and sighed softly.

"I'm feeling a touch drained, Momma. I think I need a little time to process everything."

"Well that surely comes as no surprise. You've been through quite a lot over the course of just a few hours." Esme gently helped him back to his feet before standing herself. "I don't think you took my advice and rested after your shower."

With his head still down, Jasper flicked his eyes back up to his mother. "No, ma'am. I was a mite too worked up."

"I was afraid of that."

Turning her back to the boy as she folded down the linens on the bed, Esme quietly commanded, "Get out of those clothes and come get into bed."

"Um.. I'm fine like I am."

Straighten up, but still facing away from him, Esme shook her head as a wave of embarrassment struck her hard. Smiling she sighed.

"Jasper, do as I ask, please. I know that you're physically uncomfortable in what you're wearing. You need to at least change out of your jeans so you can properly relax. Baby, don't worry. As handsome as you are, I promise that I won't peek while you change."

She felt his embarrassment heighten, but heard him rummaging through the drawers of his dresser for the baggy lightweight cotton pajama pants that she knew he preferred to lounge in when no one was around to see.

The metallic jingle of a belt buckle was followed by the thud of heavy denim hitting the floor before a deep sigh of relief registered in Esme's ears.

"Better?"

"Yes, ma'am," the soldier nearly purred as he slipped into his sleep pants before collecting his jeans to drape them over the back of his desk chair. "Much. Thank you."

"Alright. Come now and get into bed."

The matriarch had retrieved the pillow from the floor and now patted the smoothed out sheets invitingly.

"Seriously, Momma I'm not three. I don't need you to put me down for a nap."

"It doesn't matter how old you are or how old you become, I will always see myself as your mother. Now, as your mother, I am not going to leave this room until I see you comfortably tucked in and resting."

"Oh for the love of..."

"Jasper."

The soldier rolled his eyes, but gave into his mother's need to care for him, viewing it as just a little addition punishment tacked on.

Sliding between the sheets, he winced and gasped inwardly at the jolt of pain in his posterior before rolling over onto his stomach. Hugging his pillow to his chest, the Major sighed softly as Esme leaned over to gently kiss his cheek.

"Rest, Jazzy. Momma's orders which will always supersede doctor's orders, by the way."

Jasper smiled. "Don't let Papa hear you say that."

"Do you really think that he doesn't already know who's in charge here?" A devilish smile lit up Esme's face.

The soldier snorted while returning her grin. "I am sure that he does."

Drawing the vertical blinds on the large window, Esme blocked out the weak light to plunge the room into a cool comfortable darkness that made Jasper feel more inclined to curl up and zone out for the rest of the afternoon.

"I'll send Alice up when she gets home so don't worry about anything. Just get yourself settled down and don't hesitate to call if you need anything." Esme thought for a second before inquiring, "Do you think an ice pack would help?"

Taking a tension releasing breath, the soldier shook his head and closed his eyes while a light smile tugged at his lips.

"You really don't know how this is supposed to go, do you, Momma? I appreciate the offer, but an ice pack really is not necessary. My tail should be hurting after the way I acted; especially after the way I treated you."

"That's ancient history now, baby so don't worry yourself about what can't be changed. You've paid for your mistake and I trust that it won't happen again. There is no reason that I can't help make you feel a little better now that's it's over."

"Um, sure there is. You want that lesson to stick, right? That is reason enough." He gave her a roguish half smile while shaking his head at his mother's justification for doting on him. "Seriously though, I will be fine. I'm sure that I'll be back to my old self in no time at all."

Esme appeared skeptical, but shrugged a little as she headed towards the door.

"Have it your way, Mister, but remember I'm just a call away should you need anything at all."

"I'll remember and, Momma?"

The matriarch turned back towards her son.

"Thank you for accepting me, faults and all."

Esme smiled softly as she bowed her head slightly while her hand rested on the door frame.

"I love you, Jasper Whitlock Cullen. I love you with all of my heart and I wouldn't change a thing about you, honey. You are perfect just the way you are."

Without a backwards glance, the brunette slipped out into the hall before closing the door quietly behind her.

Jasper shifted onto his side as he hugged his pillow tighter and blinked back a tear.

"Perfect?" He snorted derisively. "Hardly. I'm about as far from that as anyone can get. I wish that I could be the man that you think I am, Momma. Really I do, but I don't even know if that's possible anymore. I sure screwed this one up big time."

Closing his eyes, the solider allowed the quiet of the house lull him into an unresponsive state where he could recharge his battery and maybe figure a way out of this convoluted mess that he had created.

* * *

"Oh, my God, I can't wait. Emmy, as soon as we get home, I'm going to need you to take the bike into the garage. You might have to park the Jeep outside for a few days so I can have that space to work in."

"Aw, now wait a minute, Babe. Why is it that my ride has to suffer because of that damn dork?"

Rose rubbed her mate's arm as he clutched the steering wheel and maneuvered his ruby beauty along the highway towards home.

"Because it's tough and manly, just like its owner. It is better able to handle adversity than Edward's prissy cars and you know that my baby wouldn't survive a night in the rain."

Emmett thought for a moment before nodding his head. Yep, his car was just like him; strong, tough, reliable and able to withstand anything at the world threw at it. Squaring his shoulders, he sat a little taller behind the wheel of his finely made rugged machine.

"When you're right, you're right. My warhorse can take anything. Hell, maybe a few nights of roughing it will even be good for her, but as soon as the bike is fixed I think Jasper will owe me a hand wash and wax."

"I didn't know that you waxed, Emmett. Didn't think you were one to enjoy having Jasper wash you down either, but whatever floats your boat," Edward quipped from the backseat as he leaned back and tried to shut out the images of what had turned into an extremely trying day.

"Eddie, what the fuck are you...?" The bruin reached back and waved his paw blindly around behind him in an attempt to swat his brother. Always one step ahead, Edward easily evaded Emmy's efforts. "I was talking about my truck, damn it."

"He knows that, Em. Edward is just being a jackass again. Ignore him," Rose stated crossly while glaring at the bronze haired boy in the rear view mirror before her thoughts went back to the broken motorbike. "I'll need to check out how much fuel is left for my torch. Definitely going to have to do some cutting and welding to get the body in order, and I'll need to try to find a diagram of the engine on line. Oh my God, I can't wait to get to work. This is going to be awesome!"

"Babe, you are talking about the most expensive member of our family. How about showing a little bereavement here. Is there no grief for the passing of a cherished loved one?"

"Emmy, I have been dying to get my hands on this piece of machinery since the day it was delivered. Jazz has been so anal about it that he wouldn't even let me change the oil. Yes, it's a shame that human carelessness has laid her low, but I will get Kittie back up and purring better than she ever has. Might even be able to squeeze a little bit more power out of her with a tweak here or there."

"Better not let Esme hear you say that," Edward offered helpfully.

"Like she would even know."

Throughout the entire conversation, Alice had remained oddly quiet as she stared out the window at the passing scenery without really seeing it at all.

Edward's concern for his sister grew with each passing mile until he could stand it no longer and invaded where he had no invitation to be. What he had been able to glean from her thoughts made him withdraw while placing a hand lightly on her shoulder, a concerned scowl darkening his face.

In response to his touch, Alice turned away from the window with a sigh to look at her brother.

"Are you sure that's what you really want to do?" Edward's voice was a faint whisper that was lost among the louder exuberance of Rosalie and the countering chiding of her husband.

"I think so. It really should come from me, don't you think?"

"Ali, I don't believe it's going to change the outcome any."

The pixie looked down at her hands as she picked nervously at her nails. "I know it won't, but it still seems like the right thing to do and the sooner the better. It's not like he doesn't already know by now, so what is the point in trying to avoid the inevitable?"

Wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulders, Edward pulled Alice away from the door to lean against him instead.

"If you wait, I can be there with you. Maybe I can help explain."

Alice smiled as she cuddled against her confidant. "That's very sweet, but it would be best for me to handle this one on my own. Don't worry so much. It's not like we didn't know that I was going to be in trouble. It's a fact of life that I just have to face and if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing." The girl rolled her eyes as a slight smirk curled her lips. "Doesn't make me come across as very penitent which seriously won't do me any favors, but I'm not going to lie."

"It wasn't entirely your fault though."

"Sure it was, Edward. He didn't come looking for me; I went after him. I knew better, but I just didn't care."

"He punched you," the artistic boy pointed out in a voice that was a touch too loud.

"What the hell?! Who punched you, Ali? You tell me who dared to lay a finger on you because I'm going to go find him and rip it off. No one roughs up my little sis and gets away with it. All you have to do is aim me at the asshole and I'll take care of the rest," Emmett growled menacingly from behind the wheel as his dark eyes glanced at his sister's reflection in the mirror.

"It's not important, Emmy."

"Like hell it isn't!"

Emmett jerked the jeep off to the side of the road and killed the engine before turning around to address his sister.

"It was the punk who took out the bike, wasn't it? What was his name? DePaul? Dwight?"

"It's Deyoung, Hon," Rose offered as her own eyes darkened.

"It doesn't matter because it's not important," Alice repeated firmly as she pulled away from Edward to sit up and boldly meet her muscular brother's eyes. "This is not your fight. Right now there are enough Cullens in trouble. Daddy and Momma don't need to have to deal with all of us at the same time. It's not fair to them."

"But, Alice this really is..."

"Rose, regardless of the provocation, I shouldn't have lowered myself to his level and I won't allow any of you to make the same mistake."

"What did you do," Rosalie asked in confusion.

"I barged into his classroom and kicked him in the chest."

"Did you at least break his ribs?"

"No," Alice rolled her eyes at her brother before smirking. "But he did break his hand when he punched me."

"Serves the little fucker right," Rose spat.

The pixie cocked her head and sighed as she stared up at the roof of the Jeep for help.

"I felt the same way until I realized that he was going to be sent to the hospital to get it checked out."

"Oh, shit!" Emmett's mouth feel open as the reality of that implication hit him. "Sis, that's not good."

"No, it's not, but there isn't anything that can be done to change it and that's why I don't want any of you following in my footsteps. I really appreciate that you're all willing to stand up for me regardless, but I don't want to be the cause of you getting in trouble. That would only make me feel worse, so please just stay away from him. I'm going to avoid him the best that I can, and it would really make me feel better if you all did the same."

Rose nodded while Emmett still bore a look that could kill. "Does Jasper know?"

"No, and please don't say anything to him. He won't take this well at all." Rosalie's brow rose and she was about to argue when Alice continued. "I'm fine so there is no reason to worry him. It's not like a little human boy was going to be able to hurt me. He's already paying for his ignorance by nursing a broken hand."

"That will have Pops on your butt in no time at all."

"True, but that's a side effect which really is still my fault. If I hadn't busted into his class, he would have never hit me. He was ... defending himself and you can't fault him for that."

"I can't? Oh just watch me, Ali," the bear boy snarled.

"Emmy, please let it go; for me."

Emmett huffed loudly, but turned slightly away for a moment before glancing back at his tiny sister.

"Only for you. You are the only reason that he'll continue breathing and he better be grateful to you for that."

"I'm sure that he already is." The pixie wrapped her arms around the bruin's neck and hugged him tight. "Thank you, Emmy."

"Alice, you know that you aren't going to be able to completely keep this from Jasper. When you end up in trouble, he's going to want to know why, and it will come out then. Don't you think he'll be upset that you kept this from him?"

The pixie nodded in agreement with her sister's view.

"Yes, but I rather him get upset with me after he's had time to calm down instead of being angry with Bradley now when his fuse is so much shorter."

Rosalie's eyes narrowed but she had to agree with her sister's timeline logic.

"Alright, Alice. We'll play this your way, but if that cretin puts one toe out of line." There was no denying the threatening tone in Rosalie's voice.

"I won't stand in your way, Rose."

Edward's eyes fell on the dashboard clock causing him to groan softly.

"I think we need to get going. We are not going to be doing Ali any favors if we're late in getting home. Something tells me that Mom is going to have a word or two to say about all of this and the sooner that's over the better."

"Edward's right," Alice nodded. "We need to get home soon or Momma is going to think that I'm trying to avoid her. Besides that, I want to check on Jazzy and then there's a phone call that I need to make."

The four occupants became silent as Emmett nudged his way back into traffic and drove a little slower than he usually did back home. Each mulled over their own concerns and made plans of action that they knew were destined to never be implemented; all except one.

Alice was just as sure of her plan now as she was at its conception. She had misbehaved and she would own up to her fault; accepting whatever consequences came her way. After all, it was the right thing to do. Her chivalrous mate was not one to hide from what was deserved and she would honor him by following his example no matter how hard that was to face.

Curling against Edward, the pixie quickly tapped into her vision noting with a little sadness that it had remained the same.

The flash of an image in her mind caused her brother to smile.

"Don't worry, Ali. Daddy's angel may have fallen, but your wing will heal and you'll be back up and soaring soon."

"I don't know about that, Edward, but I know that I will be plenty sore soon."

The boy chuckled to himself as he ruffled her hair playfully. "I'd take your place if I could."

"I know that you would. So would Emmy and Rose. I know that I don't tell you often enough, but you guys are the best. I am so lucky to be part of this family."

"No more lucky than we feel for being able to call you and Jasper our siblings." Edward leaned down and kissed her forehead as he hugged her close.

Closing her eyes, Alice took comfort in her brother's soothing familiar scent to help check her nerves as Emmett pulled up into the driveway all too soon.

"Hmm. Maybe the Jeep can go in the garage after all since the Volvo has taken up residence in the yard."

"Esme must have been really upset when she got home if she didn't want to risk parking it in the garage," Rose muttered mostly to herself. "If Edward doesn't mind, I'll go get the keys and pull it in. Emmy, please grab the bike off the rack and get it inside so it can safely be out of the rain as soon as possible. I'm sure that there is water in the engine already, but there is no point in it getting worse."

"Yes, ma'am. Right away." Emmett was out of the door in a flash to quickly untie the wounded bike and get it stabled comfortably in the garage.

_Edward._

At the sound of his name echoing in his head, Edward quickly looked up at Rosalie.

_We'll take care of everything out here. You might want to stay with Alice if you can._

He gave his sister a nod before lightly jostling Alice.

"Come on, Ali. Let's get you inside so you can check on Jazz."

Within moments, the two siblings stood on the porch shaking the rain from their jackets as they both tried to put off entering the house as long as possible.

Finding no other excuse at her disposal, Alice took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Leave your muddy shoes on the porch, please," Esme's voice drifted out from the living room. "And Alice, I would like to see you for a moment before you go upstairs."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be right there."

* * *

**AN:** Jasper has, once again, dug himself a nice little hole. Manipulating Esme is never really a wise decision even if he didn't use his empathic powers to do it. In his defense, all he was trying to do was hang onto his pants. Jazzy is fairly mortified by the idea of his momma seeing his boxers so he panicked. Getting her to spank him a little lighter... well that was a lucky (?) discovery that the intelligent teen simply could not resist exploiting. Too bad this is going to come back and bit him in the butt big time. At least he is already feeling guilty about it.

Rose is in heaven. I figured someone should be able to find a silver lining in this dark cloud so it might as well be Rose.

Alice, thankfully, is aiming for doing the right thing which hopefully will give Jazzy the nudge he needs to admit his own mistakes.

And then there is Bradley. ... Yep. Could not pay me enough to be in his shoes.

Thanks to everyone for continuing to follow along the twisted paths that my mind tends to travel. The Cullens certainly take me on adventures that I never even considered before. *rolls eyes*

Special thanks to my wondrous Beta Splinter; putting up with my insanity one story at a time. Do not envy her job. *shudder*

Well, at Jasper's request, we are back off to Denali, but I promise that we won't keep Alice hanging too very long.


	5. Discoveries

"Momma, I know that what I did was wrong, but you just don't understand. There is no way that you can understand because you weren't there. He was asking for it."

"And exactly what are you asking for by breaking the rules like this, young lady?"

Alice continued to hold her mother's gaze for several seconds before she glanced down at the smooth polished surface of the kitchen table as she sunk down in her seat with a little huff.

Taking the few steps needed to close the gap between them, Esme reached down and took hold of her daughter's chin to bring her head back up.

"Mary Alice, I know that you are better than this. We do not start fights in this family. I understand being upset, but you know that we don't solve our problems through the use of aggression. It wouldn't be proper behavior between two humans, but when it's one of us striking out at one of them..." The matriarch shook her head and sighed as she considered how badly things could have gone. "Sweetheart, you have put yourself in a very dangerous situation where it was far too easy to lose control and go too far. Do you not understand how badly this boy could have been hurt? Don't you know how much remorse you would have had to suffer through if this had gone just a little bit differently?"

The young girl's shoulders rose as she took a breath before whispering softly for her mother's ears alone, "I don't regret what I've done and I never will."

Closing her eyes, Esme rubbed at her temples in an attempt to ward off her mounting frustration before looking back at her daughter with a slow sad shake of her head.

"Then I suppose it will be up to your father to change that blasé attitude you have about this situation, little Missy since you seem completely immune to reason."

Alice averted her gaze seconds before a shiver raced up her spine. Wrapping her arms around her body for comfort, the pixie muttered a quiet, "He'll try his best."

Esme's brow furrowed in anger at her little girl's obstinate comment.

"Mary Alice Cullen!"

Her mother's clipped tone caused the younger woman's head to snap up as she gazed at Esme with dark soft eyes that reflected the painful turmoil raging within.

Taking a moment and a slow deep breath to calm herself, the matriarch softened her voice as she once again tried to reason with her youngster.

"Baby, why do you insist on making this more difficult on your father and yourself. You must realize how much it hurts him to see you unhappy; how much it hurts all of us?"

The pixie nodded, but didn't utter a sound as a tear forged itself a trail down her cheek.

"And how much worse do you think it is going to be for him to find himself forced to be the cause of that unhappiness? Why do you want to put him through that?"

Alice bowed her head and whimpered softly while more tears clouded her vision before spilling from her dark eyes.

With a heavy heart that ached for her child, Esme pulled her baby up from her chair and gently wrapped Alice protectively in her arms and as the tiny miscreant clung to her tightly.

"I don't want to hurt Daddy or anyone else," she whined against her mother's shoulder. "You have to believe me."

"I do, sweet girl," Esme cooed as she rubbed Alice's back hoping that her gentle touch would calm her daughter.

"I really don't want anybody to be affected by what I've done, but I'm not sorry for doing it. He deserved it, Momma. The only thing that I regret is not having hurt Bradley worse."

"Alice," Esme gasped and pushed her back far enough to see the teen's tear stained face, but not so far as to break contact.

"He said horrible things about Jazzy; all of them lies. I couldn't let him go on like that."

"Oh, sweetheart, they were just words."

"But they hurt. Somebody had to stop him before he made things worse. He was bragging about Jazzy being in trouble and how he should be incarcerated. He said that Jazz was a psychopath and that no one wanted him. I couldn't let him drag my husband's name through the mud like that. He's kind and gentle and sweet. He's a good person, Momma and I can't have people thinking poorly of him because of that ...that..." Alice stopped and gasped for a breath as she struggled against her tears before spitting out, "That blowhard."

Esme pulled her daughter firmly into her arms again while claiming the seat that Alice had recently vacated. Seeing her daughter's distress, the matriarch's heart melted as she gently rocked her baby on her lap while the pixie vented her grief through cold stinging venom tears.

"Shh. It's alright, Ali. I know that personal attacks hurt, but we all know the truth about who Jasper is and we love him. That's all that really matters. You can't let the children in school get you worked up like this. It's not healthy for you and it just feeds their arrogance knowing that they can so easily anger you."

"I can't help it," Alice whimpered as she buried her face against her mother's neck while trying to find relief in Esme's calming familiar scent.

"Yes, you can sweetheart. All you need to do is stop for a moment and take a good look at the source. Where do you think that boy will be in ten years? Better yet, where do you think he will be in a hundred years? A lot worse off than any of us, I would imagine."

Easing Alice back once more, Esme brushed the hair out of her daughter's eyes before wiping away the pixie's tears.

"His opinions don't matter, baby. Not at all. Eventually all of you will graduate and the time will come for us to move on again. At that point he will be nothing more than a faded memory; an insignificant footnote in this incarnation of our lives together. It is pointless to let him do this to you. Let him wallow in whatever his tall tales gain him. You know as well as I that our lies always catch up to us. It is just a matter of time before this boy is exposed for the charlatan that he is.

I don't want you to ever lower yourself to the level of someone like that. You are better than him in every way, Sweetheart, but now you've gone and sullied your good name because of him and nothing is worth that."

Alice's head drooped in shame before she whispered a soft, "I know."

The matriarch took a final breath before allowing her tone to return to its former firmness.

"Then you should have also known that there is never an acceptable excuse for you to attack a fellow student."

"Yes, ma'am. I do know that."

"Mary Alice, I am just shocked at your behavior. It's completely beyond imagination that you would do something like this. I cannot believe that you hurt that boy so badly that he was forced to seek medical attention."

"He punched me, Momma. I didn't really hurt him at all and that is the truth." Alice averted her eyes as she quickly collected her thoughts. "Well, I did kick him so he might have a bit of a bruise on his chest, but that was it. I was doing my best to hold back so I wouldn't break anything in him, but he hit me in the face. That is how his hand ended up broken. Honestly, it wasn't me who did the breaking. He did it to himself."

"THAT BASTARD DID WHAT?"

Both women looked towards the kitchen archway to find the Major standing there barefooted and bare-chested staring at them through glistening ebony eyes.

"HOW DARE HE LAY EVEN A SINGLE FILTHY FINGER ON YOU!"

His words were punctuated by a feral growl that seemed to shake the very walls of the house.

"I WILL HAVE SATISFACTION," he snarled. "I'LL MAKE THE WHELP WISH THAT HE HAD NEVER BEEN BORN."

"Jazzy, no!"

Alice slipped off her mother's lap and took a step towards her mate only to have her wrist caught in Esme's grasp, preventing her from moving any further.

Confused, she looked over her shoulder at the matriarch and noted the concern in her mother's eyes.

"You can let me go, Momma. He won't hurt me."

Standing, Esme shook her head as she pulled her daughter back and placed herself between the mated pair. Never once did she take her eyes off of the viciously growling vampire who blocked the entrance way to and from the room.

"Jasper, go upstairs right now and stay there until you have settled down. Alice will be up in a few minutes. The two of you can talk this out then, but only once you're calm."

"NO!" The soldier bared his teeth and hissed while waves of anger rolled off of him to crash over Esme like a storm driven surf.

Struggling to remain calm, the matriarch took carefully measured breaths as she pushed Jasper's imposed anger and her own fear to the side.

"Jasper Whitlock Cullen, you listen to me and you listen good. As your mother, I am telling you to..."

"What the hell is going on in here?"

Emmett sauntered up with Rosalie and Edward in tow, but one look at Jasper's savage stance and he took a step back, subconsciously shielding Rose in the process.

"Whoa there, Jazzman. You need to chillax, Dude. What the fuck happened to you?"

Jasper turned his barely restrained anger on Emmett with a bellowing cry.

"YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS AND YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT HER?"

Holding his hands up to ward off the very real possibility of an attack, Emmett took another step back and succeeded in pushing Rose further out of the room.

"Bro, I swear to you that I didn't know a thing until we were nearly home. I wanted to turn the car around and go bend that brat up like a pretzel, but Alice made me promise not to."

"YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE, EMMETT! THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT YOUR COVEN MATES. THAT'S YOUR JOB, DAMN IT. WHAT GOOD ARE YOU?"

Feeling slightly enraged by the soldier's accusations, Emmett bowed up as he glared into Jasper's smoldering black eyes.

"You need to just back the fuck off. Damn sissy boy in your PJs getting all up in my face. I don't fuckin' think so."

"Emm-ett," Esme rebuked sternly, but her son gave no indication that he had even heard her as he continued on.

"I was all for cracking that creep's skull wide open, but Ali didn't want there to be any more trouble! I think she's right on the mark with that since you've already stirred up a hornet's nest of crap. Dude, seriously, if you don't take it down about a dozen notches you are going to be so deep in the shit that you will never see the light of day again. Carlisle will bury your scrawny ass. The saddest part of that is the fact that you know he'll do it and you just don't seem to give a damn. Now calm the fuck down, unless you're looking to take this outside. Just so you know, I'm only too happy to show you what I'm good for."

Edward placed a hand on his brawny brother's shoulder as he stepped up beside him.

_Eddie, be careful. Johnny Reb there is looking to stomp someone's ass into the ground and I don't think that he's really going to give a flying fuck who it is that he's taking out._

"Just keep your cool, Em. He's your bother and he's hurting. We've already had more drama than we need; don't add to it. Just get Rose out of here. I may need to watch my back, but you won't be able to stay focused if you aren't sure that Rose is safe," Edward whispered in passing.

"I'm staying," the blonde blurted out with an air of defiance.

Edward looked at his bull-headed sister for several seconds before tipping his head in concession. "Have it your way. It's your neck on the line, Rose. I guess at least you'll be able to help control your mate."

Drawing his attention away from his semi-sane siblings, Edward focused fully on his raging brother.

"Jasper," he called softly as he very slowly moved towards the Major to be in a better position should he need to defend himself. "I was with Alice right after the... incident. There wasn't anything that anyone could have done to prevent what happened. Even if I had been able to read her mind and predict what she was going to do, I seriously don't believe I would have been able to stop her.

I know that you don't want to hear this, but it was Ali who went after that kid and not the other way around. What happened in that classroom was Alice's fault." A rolling growl stopped Edward in his tracks, but he continued to speak while keeping his tone soft and soothing. "Alice went into a rage nearly exactly like what you're doing right now. You are making the same serious mistake here that your wife made at school. It didn't solve anything did it, Ali?"

Edward glanced past Esme to catch his little sister's eye.

"No, it didn't. I have to admit that it really felt good at the time, but all it did was get me into trouble."

"And the same thing is about to happen to you, young man," Esme quickly picked up the thread of the conversation. "This display won't solve anything. You are only succeeding in making a bad situation worse. Major, you are about to land yourself into a great deal of trouble which will only serve to upset Alice further. I know that you want to protect her, Son and you should, but that's not what you're doing right now. Jasper, think more with your head than your heart for a minute and you'll see the truth in what your actions are doing. You're hurting your mate by making her worry about you. Is that your goal, Jazz?"

"I WOULD NEVER HURT ALICE," he snarled, but a sharp pain pierced his heart as his mother's words rang true.

"You don't want to, but that is what you're doing at this very moment," Edward remarked as he took a step closer towards his brother while noting a crashing sound behind him that herald Emmett's change of position. "Can't you feel how worried she is about you? I can hear it in her thoughts. I know that she's scared that you'll do something that you'll live to regret. Jasper, I can honestly tell you that you're doing absolutely nothing to alleviate those concerns. Alice has every reason to be worried."

In direct contrast to the seriousness of the situation, the bronze haired boy suddenly grinned slightly as he shook his head at his sister.

"Yes, Carlisle has ways of making us regret every foolish thing that we have ever done. Which is something that you might want to keep in mind also, little sis."

Alice ducked her head at her brother's gentle chiding, but he caught a brief glimpse of a smile.

"So Edward, you have experience with that, do you?"

"I think we all do."

Emmett snorted in full agreement and grinned broadly.

His mate rolled her eyes before giving the hulking boy's shoulder a shove as she softly added, "Yeah, some more than others."

"Hey, it's not my fault that Pops doesn't appreciate my love of adventure. You guys would be incredibly lame if I didn't liven things up around here every once in awhile."

Alice giggled softly at her big brother and with that the tension in the room began to break.

While Edward had been speaking, Esme kept a watchful eye on her southern boy. She carefully noted the subtle changes in his stance. The slight sag of his shoulders and the loosening of his taunt muscles made it clear that Jasper was ever so slowly regaining his control even though his eyes remained as black as pitch.

Taking a chance, the matriarch approached her son as the vampire within him slowly withdrew. She noticed that Emmett and Edward following her every move and went on the defensive even while involving themselves in their sibling banter. Silently she prayed that she had not misjudged her son and that the assistance of her boys would not be needed.

With a feather light brush of her hand, Esme touched the soldier's arm, forcing him to redirect his focus onto her.

"Major Whitlock, we had a deal. You told me that you would behave for me and I promised to keep your transgression between us. I am surprised that you hold so little respect for me that you would actually insist on your father's involvement in this matter. After coming this far, are you really looking to void our agreement?"

The onyx eyes lowered and he gazed at the delicate hand resting on his arm before he looked back up into his mother's eyes with a quiet exhalation.

"No, ma'am."

Esme allowed herself to breathe again upon hearing the roar of the vampire replaced by the soft, deep voice that she knew and loved so well.

"But," Jasper quickly added. "I won't look the other way and no one, not even Carlisle, can make me do that. DeYoung has to pay for what he's done to my Alice."

"He already has, baby. His hand is broken while Alice is perfectly alright. That should be punishment enough."

"Well it aint. That doesn't even scratch the surface of what is owed him. He needs to learn not to put his hands on a woman in anger and after I'm done with him I can guarantee that he'll never do it again."

There was a fire in Jasper's eyes and a coldness in his tone that didn't sit well with the matriarch. Esme feared for her son's safety along with the safety of his human target.

"Jasper." Esme kept her voice soft even though she could feel the effects of her son's barely controlled anger churned within her. "Even if it was permissible to take action against this boy, you forget that you are under restriction. You may not leave this house unless it is to hunt; hunting the boy does not count. Plus, until I say otherwise, your hunts will be supervised.

I am not giving you my permission to leave. Now, please return to your room and stay there until you're calm."

The soldier shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Momma, but some men just need killin'. I can't allow you to hold me back like this."

"Yes you can, Jazzy."

Alice stepped up to her husband and cradled his face between her hands while trying very hard to project her own feelings of calm and well being onto her emotional mate.

"You have to listen to Momma. She's doing her best to keep you out of trouble, but now you have to help yourself. Besides, she's right. Bradley has suffered enough."

"But you just said..."

"Don't worry about what I said. I'm just angry right now. Once I've calmed down I would feel bad if I had hurt him and I know that you would, too."

She carded her fingers through his thick golden mane as she smiled up at him. "And if he hasn't suffered enough, killing him sure won't help that. That ends his suffering, but as long as he's alive that hand is going to be hurting him for some time. If we're lucky, it will hurt every time the weather changes. Don't you think it's better for him to suffer that then for you to show him mercy by taking him out of his pain? I know I do."

"Ya know, it would be a shame if it took that hand longer to heal. I bet that getting his hand accidentally slammed in the locker or having one of those heavy history texts fall on it would aggravate the crap out of that injury. Probably hurt like a son of a bitch," Emmett mused out loud while his eyes glazed over and a smirk brightened his face.

"Emmett Dale!" Esme glared at her bear of a boy and shook her head as she softly added a firm, "No. There will be none of that."

"What? I didn't say that it was going to happen. All I did was mention that it would be a shame if it did. I mean Bradley is such an upstanding guy and all. I would hate to see him hurting more because he got a little careless or something like that. He's is, after all, the careless sort. Look at what happened to Kitty. That was just one of his accidents. Bad things seem to happen around him quite a lot. Just saying."

Emmett shrugged his shoulders and then became lost in the process of picking some invisible lint from his sleeve as his mother shook her head in weary vexation.

"See, Jazzy, there are worse things that can happen to him. Just let karma catch up to Bradley and it can take care of teaching him his lesson."

"I swore that I would defend you as long as there was a spark of life in this body. I gave you my word, my vow, on our wedding day. I have to do this."

"No you don't. I'm fine. Look at me. It's over and you have to let it go. Right now he's at the hospital." Alice took on a far away look before she sighed heavily. "And Daddy is taking care of him. How far do you really think you would get if you stormed into the hospital crying out for blood?" Staring deep into the inky darkness of his eyes, the pixie spoke quietly but sternly. "I don't want you to get into any more trouble. We have both had more than our share today. Show me your love by letting this one go."

Jasper continued to stare at his wife as he let his family and surrounds fade away. The only thing in the world that mattered to him was Alice, her safety and happiness. His jaw tightened as a war played out inside until his proud head finally fell.

Standing on her tip toes, the pixie stretched up and kissed her lover's cheek before taking his hand in hers.

"Let's go to our room and see if I can find a way to help you relax."

"I can offer a few suggestions."

"Em," Rose scolded as she gave her husband a little shove.

"Oh, come on. Who couldn't do with a few pointers from yours truly?" The boy puffed up proudly as his grin lit up the room.

Rosalie shook her head while linking her arm with her mate's. "Let's go see what we can do for Kitty. Come give me a hand, Tiger. I promise to show you a good time."

Emmett growled and nipped playfully at the beautiful blonde before scooping her into his arms. With a whoop the bruin raced off to the garage with Rose laughing all the way.

Edward watched as the pair vanished from the room and and cringed at the thoughts cluttering his brother's head. "Why do I get the feeling that the Tiger is going to be receiving way more attention than Kitty this evening?"

"At least she will keep him out of trouble for a few hours," Esme quipped. "Besides, once Rose gets focused on that death machine, Em will be lucky if she can find time for him. You know how driven she can be."

Her artistic son nodded in silent agreement, but his brow suddenly furrowed with concern at his mother's mental self berating.

"Don't do that. There is no reason for you to think that way. You did all that anyone could do and it did work out better than could be expected."

Giving her oldest a faint smile, the matriarch shook her head.

"I should be scolding you right now for prying, but thank you. I'm not sure that I agree with you. I think Carlisle would have been able to handle things much better, but I appreciate your encouragement just the same."

Hugging Edward tightly, Esme allowed a few stress relieving tears to soak into the light fabric of his shirt before a deep gentle voice vied for her attention.

"Momma?"

Jasper had pulled Alice to a halt just outside the kitchen and glanced back over his shoulder at his mother. "I ..."

Quickly pulling away from Edward and wiping her eyes, Esme nodded in understanding as she smiled at her troubled soldier.

"I know, Baby and it's alright now. There is no need for you to worry yourself. Just go with Alice. You'll see. Everything is all going to be just fine."

_And please let that be the truth._

* * *

"Hello, I'm Doctor Cullen. What brings you in to see us today, young man?" Carlisle smiled at the teen while giving a nod to the man who apparently had been sent by the school to act as a temporary guardian until the boy's family could be reached, or so his nurse had informed him. Looking down, he quickly scanned the chart that Gloria had handed him and noted with relief that this would be an easy case compared to the disaster of a day he had been having.

"A busted hand thanks to your damn kid. Now how am I suppose to pitch. I'm trying to work my way to a baseball scholarship and my future has been ruined thanks to your demon seed."

Glancing up, the doctor sighed to himself while registering the anger and pain reflected in the youth's face. Silently he prayed that the boy was mistaken, but he certainly seemed quite sure of his accusation. Choosing to ignore the implication for the time being, Carlisle focused his mind back on his work.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Let's have a look at it to see what we have going on, shall we?"

Removing the ice pack that the boy kept clutched against his hand, the doctor grimaced inwardly while maintaining his calm professional exterior appearance. Pressing lightly against the swollen discolored joints caused the youth to unleash a stream of expletives that had Gloria clucking her tongue in disapproval and furthered the doctor's mounting frustration.

While gently trying to manipulate the ring finger, Carlisle quietly inquired, "Can you move your fingers at all? Maybe make a fist?"

"No! If I could, I wouldn't be here, now would I?"

Releasing the boy's hand, the physician met Bradley's eyes with a stern look.

"Mr. DeYoung, I want to help you, but you are going to have to work with me. I did not ask if it was painful to do these things. I asked if it was possible. I am attempting to determine the extent of your injures."

"It's fucking broken, genius. Just look at it."

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose hard in frustration while the sounds of Gloria's disapproval grew louder as she glared at the boy's acting guardian who could do no more than shrug helplessly.

Taking a deep breath, the doctor dropped his hand away from his face and calmly addressed the boy again.

"We won't know that for certain without x-rays. I suspect that you do have a break in the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones, but it could just as easily be a misalignment problem. I also need to rule out the possibility of a torn ligament since that will affect the course of treatment.

Now, Mr. DeYoung, would you please attempt to make a fist for me?"

Glaring into the doctor's eyes, the teen slowly curled his fingers inward until he had formed a loose fist.

Carlisle listened to the grating of splintered bone and carefully noted the odd angulation of his patient's middle finger.

"Alright. You can go ahead and relax your hand now."

Replacing the ice pack, the doctor encouraged the youth to elevate his hand before scribbling down an order for a set of films to be taken of the boy's injury.

"I should fucking sue your kid for doing this to me. You know what? I might have my parents to do just that since my life is ruined and all. The least that you can do is set me up on easy street for life since my dreams of being a pro ball player have been shot to hell thanks to your brat."

Without looking up from his paperwork, Carlisle kept his response even and calm.

"Seeing as you appear to have a brawler's fracture, I'm going to have to assume that you found yourself in a fight with one of my boys. Considering that none of them are likely to attack randomly, I have to believe that you share in some of the responsibility for your injury, Mr. DeYoung and I also believe that any jury in this state would feel the same."

"Yeah, I got into it with that punk this morning, but he didn't do this. He was too busy punching the teacher and getting his ass expelled. It was that bitch of a daughter you've got that done in my hand."

"Okay, that's quite enough. I am tired of it. There is no need for talk like that in here, little man. I don't want to hear it and the doctor shouldn't have to either," Gloria sharply scolded while Carlisle groaned inwardly as his mind returned to thoughts of his children.

The youth rolled his eyes dismissively at the aging nurse.

"Oh, you want to roll your eyes? Here, let me help you with that. Someone should have taught you about respecting your elders a long time ago, but since they didn't..."

"Gloria."

The doctor placed a hand on his nurse's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze to settle her down.

"It's just a problem with some of today's youths. Some raise themselves and have no one to teach them proper behavior. He really can't help himself."

Turning her slightly to face him, he caught her eye and gave her a subtle look that reaffirmed his leadership role. "Don't feed into him," he whispered quietly, forcing her to read his lips before she nodded her understanding.

Handing off the chart, Carlisle turned back to the boy as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Alright, exactly how is it that Rosalie managed to cause this injury to you?"

"It wasn't the blonde haired bimbo. It was that weird little punk haired headcase. She attacked me and when I tried to get her off, she up and broke my fucking hand."

"Alice?"

There was no way for Carlisle to disguise the shock that he felt at this startling new revelation. Why in the world would his happy little pixie attack anyone? Apparently she must have had a good reason because something like this was completely out of character for his princess.

This new bit of information forced the physician to bite back a defensive growl before it could make itself known. There was only one method of procuring a boxer's fracture. The boy sitting no more than a foot from him playing the part of the innocent injured party had punched his baby girl.

Glancing down to hide his rapidly blackening eyes, Carlisle turned away from the youth and headed towards the door.

"Gloria, please arrange for Mr. DeYoung to be taken up to x-ray and let me know when the results come back. There's something that I urgently need to check on."

Breathing deeply to try to suppress his building tension, Carlisle fought to regain his professionalism as he began to exit the room.

"Mr. DeYoung, I am very sorry for whatever caused this altercation, but we'll see to it that your injury is well taken care of and you should back up and running in no time at all.

Once I've viewed the x-rays I'll be back to explain your choices on how we can proceed from here. Now, if you will excuse me."

Out in the hall, Carlisle leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes as he captured the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. What was happening? One of his children has been expelled from school for having a fist fight with a teacher and his precious little bubbly princess had sent a boy to the hospital? Had the world suddenly gone mad? It didn't make any sense.

Had he not personally seen the damage done to that boy's hand, he would have never believed such a tale. The young man could just as easily have hit a tree or a wall. Humans were infamous for doing stupid things in a fit of anger so that would not be so uncommon.

_Come to think of it, vampires have been known to share that same quality._

Carlisle let his hand fall and come to rest across his chest while he tried to sort out the facts as he knew them. The dislocation of the middle finger was indicative of a much more severe type of trauma than was common to this sort of injury and Alice's skin could have very easily caused that. The doctor's hands curled into fists as the idea of this young boy hitting his baby girl woke the demon that slumbered within. Lowering his head and clenching his jaw tightly, Carlisle struggled to keep the monster at bay while he shifted his thoughts to a slightly less dangerous piece of this puzzle.

If Alice had attacked this boy, it stood to reason that it was Jasper who had gotten into the scuffle and been expelled, but why? And to strike a teacher? Jasper was nothing if not respectful, especially towards authority figures so that part of the youth's story made even less sense if that was even possible. If this was not some fabrication on the human's part and had happened early this morning, why had he not gotten word of this fiasco from the school or Esme? Surely, he would have been called up for a conference in deciding the Major's fate before the lad found himself banned from school.

Releasing a long held breath the doctor considered the natural thoughtfulness of his mate. Esme had called him not long after his arrival at work. She had been in a playful mood, but this morning had seen Carlisle hitting the ground running with a seemingly non-stop plethora of emergencies. Regrettably, in his distracted state, he had been short with with his beloved on the phone. Carlisle caught himself and naturally apologized, but because of that, when the call came from the school she must have decided that he had enough on his plate and didn't want to worry him. It only made sense that his soul mate would take on the challenge of handling their son's indiscretion on her own in an attempt to avoid adding to the stress of his day. While he appreciated her consideration, he would have preferred to hear about this disaster before it presented itself in his ER.

Easing himself away from the wall, the doctor made his way down the hall where he ducked into the chapel for privacy. Slumping down in the last pew, he quickly fished his phone from the pocket of his lab coat, but just as he pulled his wife's number up on the screen a scratchy voice over the paging system summoned him back to the ER.

Soft amber eyes drifted from the small illuminated screen toward the simple cross flanked by stained glass windows depicting a variety of animals playfully romping through Eden. Wishing he was running along side of the colorful beasts blissfully unaware of what lay beyond the garden walls, Carlisle sighed.

"This is a test, isn't it? It is not my place to question. I know that, but..."

His pager vibrated wildly against his hip summoning him to the emergency situation.

With the possibility of a life hanging in the balance, the physician pocketed his phone once again before bowing his head in a quick prayer for guidance then rushed from the quaint room and down the hallway towards the bustling ER.

"Doctor Cullen, there was a log truck accident on the one ten. Two fatalities and at least five injured. Medi-Vac is on standby to air lift patients to University once they're stabilized."

"What is the ETA on arrival?"

"About twelve minutes out."

"Okay, Jackie, please get Doctor Jansen and Doctor Snow down here. It sounds we're going to need all hands on deck for this one so round up the nursing staff and make sure Gloria is in triage to crack the whip and keep everyone on their toes."

"Yes, Doctor." The Quileute nurse raced off to rally the staff while Carlisle prepped the bays for the incoming patients.

Glancing at the wall clock, the physician check the time remaining before they found themselves inundated with the injured while he listened intently for the sirens of approaching EMS vehicles.

Just as his sensitive hearing began to pick up the still distant sound of a siren's wail, Carlisle felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Swiftly stepping away from the gathering medical personal, he answered without as much as a fleeting glance at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Daddy?"

"Hello, Princess."

"I guess you already know."

The trepidation in his daughter's voice squelched any anger that he may have felt earlier at the discovery of her misbehavior. Sighing inwardly, the elder softly and simply replied, "Yes, Sweetie. I do."

"I can explain. I would have preferred to call you before ... well... yeah, you know, but I didn't get a chance until just now. I swear, Daddy. I really wanted to be the first to tell you. I didn't want you to find out from him."

"I believe you, Alice and I appreciate that." The sound of the siren increased dramatically as the ambulance closed in on the final leg of it's journey. "Honey, I'm about to be extremely busy. I do want to talk to you and I promise that I will give you a chance to explain your side of the story, but I'm afraid that I'm going to have to go now. I'll call you back once I get a little free time and if that doesn't happen, we'll talk when I get home this evening. Okay?"

"Alright, and don't worry. No one else from the accident is going to die. Some will be touchy, but as long as you stick to your plan they will be alright."

Releasing the trapped air in his lungs, the doctor felt himself overcome with a tranquil feeling of relief even though at that very moment the first gurney was being wheeled through the door.

"Thank you, Baby girl. Now I have to go."

"I know. Bye, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you too, Ali. We'll talk soon."

"Doctor Cullen. Bay one is a twenty eight year old male. BP is seventy seven over 40 and dropping. Broken ribs. Decreased breath sounds. Possible hemothorax."

Before Carlisle had even pressed his stethoscope to the man's chest he could hear hear air bubbling through the blood as was beginning to pool within in the man's chest cavity to constrict the movements of his lungs.

"Hemopneumothorax. I need a chest tube, stat and let's get a transfusion started. What's his name?"

"Robert."

"Hang in there, Robert. We're going to take good care of you. Don't you worry about a thing you're going to be fine."

Making a incision between the man's ribs, Carlisle eased the tube through the chest wall and watched as the man took his first easy breath following the pressure release. The flowing ruby liquid caused an intense thirst in the fair haired doctor, but it paled in comparison to the pleasure he gained from the sight of rising O2 stats on his patient's monitor.

"Breath sounds are good, Doctor."

"Excellent. Let's get him prepped for transfer. You're doing well, Robert. Just keep fighting for me and we're going to make sure that we get you back in the saddle before you know it. You've got my word on that."

"Doctor Cullen, incoming. Thirty one year old female. BP one eighteen over seventy and steady. Right distal radius fracture and dislocated hip. Head injury. In and out of consciousness."

"On my way, Gloria."

Carlisle draped his stethoscope around his neck as he left the man's bedside to attend to his next patient.

_What a glorious day. I wish I slept so I could have stayed in bed._

"What's her name?" The doctor inquired as he leaned over the still dark haired young woman on the gurney who reminded him of another young woman that he treated nearly a century ago.

"Cynthia."

"Hi, Cynthia. My name is Doctor Cullen. You're at Forks Community Hospital. Can you squeeze my hand, Honey and let me know that you're with us? No? Well that's alright. You're doing fine. It's not that important. Just know that everything is going to be okay and you are in very good hands."

* * *

**AN:** Well both parents have their hands full right now. Who thinks that Carlisle is going to be in any fit shape to deal with his willfully disobedient children? Luckily, for the moment he only has Alice to contend with, and Ali is trying her hardest to do what's right so that should make her Daddy's job just a little bit easier. Wish I could say the same for myself when it comes to Emmett. I'm trying to keep him out of trouble, but that bear just wants to get in the middle of it all. *sigh*

Thank for all of your comments, follows and adds. They mean so very much and help keep me going when the boys make it hard on me. All my heart felt thanks to my fabulous beta. She may be underpaid, but certainly never under appreciated.

Now, regardless of what Jasper and Carlisle want, I have a lonely Spaniard who is just dying for attention. Back with y'all soon.


	6. The Doctor's Dilemma

With his last patient safely on his way to University Hospital in Seattle, Carlisle sat at the nurse's station computer making several more notations to the transfer records. While he didn't physically tire, he would have had to admit that it still felt nice to be able to sit down for a few moments and figuratively catch his breath.

Alice's vision had been as accurate as always. Two touchy patients coded on him, but his exceptional staff had managed to bring them back and he was finally able to get them stabilized enough for transfer.

At the larger better equipped hospital he knew that they would be guaranteed the very best of care. With that in mind, Carlisle could see no reason why each and every one of his recent patients should not make a quick and complete recovery.

It had been a grueling day, but over all the doctor was satisfied with how well things had worked out. His team had performed phenomenally, leaving Carlisle feeling quite content. Now the only issues still looming over his evening involved his children and the apparent disaster that had occurred at school. He could only hope that would resolve itself as easily.

"Doctor Cullen, I'm going to run over to the cafeteria and grab a bite. Can I pick something up for you?"

Without glancing away from the screen, the blonde shook his head.

"No, but thank you, Gloria. I'm fine."

"Not even a cup of coffee? Surely you can use a little something. You haven't eaten anything all day and you've been working like a mule. You had better get some food in you or you're going to wear yourself down."

"I had a bit of lunch in my office and I'll be going home soon. You wouldn't want Esme upset with you for having spoiled my dinner, now would you?"

"I wouldn't want her upset because I let you go all day forgetting to eat. Don't you try to give me that 'I ate in my office' bull. I know better than that. Your body can't keep up this pace without some good wholesome nourishment. How about some soup? You can just drink it down from the cup so you don't really have to stop what you're doing."

"Really, Gloria. I'm not hungry. Look at me. Do you really think I let myself starve? Better yet, do you believe that my wife would allow that?"

The elderly nurse narrowed her eyes as she critically studied the doctor. "Could use a bit more meat on those bones."

Carlisle gave her an appreciative smile as he leaned back in his chair.

"I assure you that I will eat something soon. Now stop clucking over me and go get yourself some dinner. You've been working just as hard as I have, if not harder."

"Humph. Well when your blood sugar crashes and you can't take care of your patients properly, don't try blaming me."

"I'll accept full responsibility for my shortsightedness," the physician softly replied before his eyes narrowed in thought. "Speaking of patients, did we get the films back on mister DeYoung?"

"Just about five or ten minutes ago," she replied with disdain. "I've taken the liberty of asking Dr. Jansen to follow up with that one."

The physician's eyes widened in shock.

"Gloria, you had no right to do that. That young man is my patient."

"He is A patient who just happens to be in here because he injured himself punching your daughter. Let Dr. Jansen deal with his case and you take care of that little girl waiting for you back home. You need to be worrying about her instead of fussing over that delinquent."

Carlisle glanced down for a moment in embarrassment from his well meaning nurse's chiding.

"Physically Alice is just fine. She called me a few minutes before the accident patients started rolling in and as soon as I'm finished up with this paperwork, I plan on calling her back."

"Instead of calling, you should be getting your butt back home. Your little girl is going to be needing her daddy to make things better and it doesn't do for you to be hanging around here ministering to her attacker. It's close enough to quitting time. Go tell Dr. Jansen that you need to leave and if he gives you any grief, you just tell him that I said for you to go."

The aging nurse placed her hands on her hips and gave the doctor a look that dared him to argue with her.

After a few moments of deliberation, Carlisle glanced down again before he sighed softly.

"What would I do without you, Gloria?"

"Hey, someone has to keep you on track." Her smile reached all the way to her eyes which twinkled joyously at the compliment. "Now get on out of here with yourself."

"Yes, ma'am, let me just put ... the ...finishing touches... There. Done."

With a click of a button, the patient files were transferred to Seattle and Carlisle's current work load, minus the DeYoung boy, was complete.

"I would still like to look in on the boy."

"GO!"

Gloria pulled the physician's chair back away from the computer as she pointed down the hall in the opposite direction of his patient's room.

"You're quite used to getting your own way, aren't you?"

"Always have and always will. Now scoot and go give that baby girl a hug from me."

With a slight smile on his lips, the doctor bade his nurse a good evening before heading down the hall in search of his colleague.

"Carlisle." Mark Jansen hailed as he waved the x-ray file folder in the air.

"Oh good, Mark. Just the man I was looking for. I have a little situation that I need to take care of. I was wondering if it would be alright with you that I head home just a few minutes early today?"

The conflicted expression that swiftly darkened the ER Chief's face was all the answer the youthful blonde needed.

"Ah. Well, Carlisle," Mark began with a downward glance while rubbing the back of his neck to relieve the strain he was beginning to feel. "I was actually coming to ask if you could put in a few more hours. Bill hasn't been feeling very well and I didn't think it was wise to have him around the patients so I sent him home. I would stay and cover his shift, but it's..."

"Colleen's birthday." Carlisle smiled lightly as he completed the Chief's statement. "Yes, I remember. You have the entire evening of dining and dancing planned, don't you?"

"Made the reservations two months ago."

With a soft sigh, the attending physician took the folder from the gray haired man's hand.

"I've got this. Your plans are much more pressing than mine are at the moment. Besides, I would hate to be the cause of you being stuck out in the dog house because you left your lady in the lurch.

Being a doctor's wife is already a difficult enough job to contend with. Colleen shouldn't be subjected to being stood up on her birthday because Bill caught a bug. You two deserve to enjoy your evening. I already see more of you than your wife does and that's not right. Not to be insensitive Mark, but you really aren't my type."

The Chief grinned at Carlisle's playful jab then turned serious.

"Look, I have some time before Colleen is expecting me so why don't you go take care of whatever you need to..."

The blonde shook his head as he slapped the older man lightly on the shoulder.

"No, it can wait. I just need to call my wife and let her know that I'll be home late so she doesn't end up sending Charlie Swan out after me again. Once in a lifetime is enough of that. I need to have a word with my daughter as well, but I don't mind putting that unpleasant task off awhile longer."

"I take it you're talking about the one that this ruffian slugged?"

"That would be the one," Carlisle gave an abbreviated nod as a touch of sadness and anger came into his topaz eyes.

"Is she alright? I mean, you really should have Esme bring her down here and get her checked out. If his injuries are this severe," he indicated the x-rays with a flourish of his hand. "I can only imagine what sort of damage had been inflicted on his opponent. Which one of your girls was it, anyway?"

"Alice."

"That petite thing? What in the world could she have done to end up in a fight? She's always such a pleasant child. And to cause that type of injury? The boy must be mistaken. He had to have missed her and hit the wall or some other unyielding object without realizing it."

"My children have many talents, Mark and Alice is much tougher than she appears. She has roughhoused with my boys enough to know how to handle herself. The young man might have been unlucky and caught her at just the wrong angle or, and this is what I believe, he could have injured his hand earlier and the fracture didn't become obvious until he had his little row with Alice."

"Still, Carlisle. If the boy hit her like that, she probably has ... "

"I fully plan on examining her. In the meantime, I have talked to her and she seems alright. Shaken up by the experience of course, but otherwise she really does sound fine. I am certain that if anything was hurting her she would have let me know and Esme would have her up here before you could blink."

"Hmm. Well if you say so." The man was unconvinced, but decided to drop his inquiry as he glanced down the hallway towards the patient's room. "What that boy needs is for someone to give him a taste of his own medicine. He got lucky this time. I hope that the school takes some sort of action against him."

"I'm not sure how lucky a couple of broken fingers makes him." Carlisle cocked a brow while offering a slight smile. " And as much as I would like to think that my daughter is blameless in this matter, there are always two sides to every story. The truth generally takes the middle ground. That's what I intend to discover before I make any hard and fast decisions."

Mark rubbed his chin thoughtfully before begrudgingly agreeing with the young doctor.

"Might I make a slight suggestion?"

"Of course," Carlisle replied as he withdrew a sheet of film from the folder and held it up to the light to study it with a critical eye.

"Go a little easy on the young man's pain meds. I heard that he was an athlete and we really wouldn't want him to become reliant on any sort of chemicals. You know how susceptible some people can be to addictive substances. Learning how to manage pain by toughing it out would be a far better lesson for him to learn, don't you think?"

Slipping the x-ray back in it's protective covering, Carlisle raised a brow as he met the man's eye then chuckled softly.

"Between you and Gloria, that boy should consider himself lucky to be walking out of here of his own volition. I will, however take your learned suggestion under advisement."

"Just thinking about our patient's future."

Shaking his head, Carlisle mumbled to himself before speaking a little louder.

"Get out of here would you, and wish Colleen a very happy birthday. You've already kept the birthday girl waiting long enough. Go have a wonderful time."

"I owe you one, Carlisle."

"Yes, you do," the young doctor agreed as he began to make his way to his patient's room.

"I have your next two shifts covered. Take a couple of days and enjoy your family."

"Will do."

With a wave of his hand, Carlisle dismissed the Chief of ER before he ducked into the exam room where he was greeted by a haggard looking dark haired man.

"Hello, Doctor. I came as soon as I could. I'm Christopher De Young. Is my son going be okay?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. DeYoung. I'm Dr. Cullen," Carlisle offered as he shook the senior DeYoung's hand firmly. "I believe your son will heal flawlessly and be back on the baseball diamond before you know it." Giving the man a sympathetic smile, he quickly added, "Yes, he is going to be just fine."

Snapping the x-ray into the light box, the physician quickly studied the film and sighed softly to himself. Over all the fractures were minor and would very likely heal without complication, but the dislocation would require his assistance to correct.

"Bradley, we're going to tape your fingers to stabilize them and I would like you to follow up with an orthopedic surgeon for precautionary measures."

The blonde turned away from the illuminated film to address his patient directly.

"Just to make sure that you're progressing as you should. Sometimes surgery is indicated, but I really don't believe that's in your future. I would say that you're looking at four to six weeks of rest and recovery and after that you might experience a bit of soreness or stiffness for several months after you're mended. Once the bones knit, you'll want to do some hand strengthening exercised. I'm sure your coach can aim you in the right direction with that. "

Carlisle had taken the boy's hand gently in his and was examining the dislocated finger more closely when Gloria walked into the room.

Glancing up the doctor gave his nurse a bright smile.

"Perfect timing as usual."

"Uh huh," the woman narrowed her eyes upon seeing which doctor was tending to the patient.

"Gloria, I'm going to need a finger splint and some tape. I ordered an immobilizing brace as well which will need to be picked up."

"Right away, doctor."

Carlisle tracked the movements of his disgruntled nurse as she laid out the splint and tape before returning his focus back to the boy.

"Now, Bradley I'm going to be honest with you. I need to realign your middle finger and that is going to hurt, but as soon as it's back in place your pain level will drop significantly. I want you to lay back and try to relax. That will make this go easier."

"Are you out of your fucking mind? How in the hell am I supposed to relax?"

"Bradley! The doctor is just doing his job and trying to help you. You know better than to take that tone with him."

"It's alright, Mr. DeYoung. Fear is perfectly natural and fairly often expresses itself this way. Son, if you wish I can give you an injection of local anesthetic to help deaden the pain before the procedure." Looking over towards his assistant, the physician caught the nurse's eye before softly requested, "Gloria, will you please load a syringe up for me?"

The youth's eyes widened as he watched the nurse grin before turning towards the cabinet with a pleasant, "Of course, doctor. It's my pleasure."

"What the fuck? No. I'm not a pin cushion. Don't be sticking crap in me."

"It's just a little stick, Junior follow by a bit of a burning sensation and then you won't feel a thing. You're a big man and can take that. I'm sure that you've experienced worse while playing sports." Gloria remarked while fishing a vial off the encased shelf. "A little pain to stop from feeling worse is a pretty decent deal if you ask me."

"No one is asking you."

"Oh come now. A brave little gladiator like yourself isn't scared of a tiny needle."

"Tiny? That thing is a mile long."

Bradley was so distracted by the nurse's words and actions that he failed to notice the light pressure that Carlisle was applying to his finger.

In one smooth motion, the doctor pulled the boy's finger forward while utilizing sideways pressure against the joint with his thumb. A sudden audible pop filled the room and the youth's finger was reseated back in joint.

"Owww! What the fuck!?"

Bradley's complexion turned a sickly gray as his body was rocked with a surge of nausea.

"Take a deep breath and lay back. It will pass," Carlisle instructed while sliding a splint over the dislocated finger and taping it securely while Gloria slipped the needle into the boy's arm undetected.

"There. That will ease it," Gloria remarked while applying a bit of pressure to the injection point.

"The worst is over," the doctor kindly informed the boy who had yet to regain his normal coloring then turned to address the father.

"We're going to put a brace on his hand and wrist to keep it immobile and I'll give you prescriptions for an inflammatory and pain killer to be used as needed. With the reduction of the dislocation, Bradley's pain should be quite manageable, but it is best to rest the hand and keep it elevated. Icing it for twenty four hours will relieve swelling and follow up with Dr. Price as soon as possible. She is one of the best orthopedic surgeons that I have ever met. Your son will be in excellent hands."

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen. We really appreciate all that you've done," the man gratefully replied as he once again shook Carlisle's hand.

"Oh yeah, that's because he's just trying to avoid a law suit. Well fuck that. I still say that you'll be paying for what your bitch did to me. OWW!" Bradley's rant was abruptly cut off as Gloria over-tightened the brace around his hand causing it to throb.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry about that. Let me loosen it up a little."

"Law suit?" The dark haired man turned a confused look in Carlisle's direction.

The doctor sighed softly while crossing his arms over his chest while drawing himself up to his full height.

"Your boy's injuries were caused from a fight with my daughter. I've not had a chance to look into the story fully, but it appears that one of my sons had a confrontation with Bradley this morning. He could have been injured then without realizing it. At some later point my daughter felt the need to defend her brother's honor and also tied up with your son. It was then that his injuries became apparent when he punched her."

"He did what?"

"I believe that the school has taken disciplinary measures and I can assure you that Bradley will have no further trouble with regards to my children. My wife and I are going to have a family discussion with our brood and set things straight. It would be greatly appreciated if we can come to some sort of agreement and not end up dragging this incident through court. My fees have already been waived and I'm happy to cover the ER related ..."

"No, doctor. That won't be necessary. My insurance will cover Brad's expenses. I apologize on behalf of my son and I hope your daughter is alright." Turning towards his son, the man hissed softly, "For God's sake, Brad, what were you thinking? It's not like you to get into fights. You're a baseball player; not a flaming prize fighter. If you want to earn that scholarship to UW you can't afford to have any black marks on your record. We've talked about this before."

"She came at me."

"After you attacked her brother. We're going to be having a long talk about this when we get home and you can forget about that concert this weekend."

"But Dad, I already have tickets. What's Paula going to think if I back out at the last minute? You're not being reasonable. This wasn't my fault."

"Maybe you should have thought about your weekend plans before you got into a fight at school and I'm being more than reasonable. Do you have any idea what your grandfather would have done to me if I had pulled a stunt like this? You're lucky that I'm not taking your truck away."

Clearing his throat, the physician drew the attention of the room.

"I'm going to leave you so I can complete Bradley's discharge paperwork. Gloria will finish getting him set up and be back with his prescriptions. Should his pain increase during the night or you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to bring him back up here."

"Thank you again, Dr. Cullen."

"It's what I'm here for. I'm just glad that it wasn't something more serious. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. DeYoung. I only wish it had been under happier circumstances."

With a slight nod, Carlisle stepped out of the room and made his way back to the nurse's station feeling a little more at ease. Thankfully, the father had turned out to be a reasonable man even if he was raising a son who was a little less so. Clearly the youth needed firmer guidance, but at least the man was doing the best that he could for his boy and, in the long run, that is all that anyone could ever ask.

Rubbing his hands over his face, the doctor groaned before he turned his attention to the task at hand.

It was while he was putting the finishing touches on his release notes that a waxed paper wrapped sandwich landed unceremoniously in the center of his print out.

"I take it that your shift has been extended?"

"Bill went home sick and Mark couldn't stay," Carlisle verified with a meager nod.

"Then you're going to eat something before you go take a nap while there's a lull. I will not be taking no for an answer, doctor."

"I don't need a mother, Gloria," the physician stated firmly. "Even though you and Esme believe otherwise, I can take care of myself." Inhaling deeply to retain his calm exterior, Carlisle caught a scent that caused him great concern. "And speaking of taking care of oneself, is that cigarette smoke that I smell on you?"

"Um...well.. Ah... Look, don't you try to turn this around on me. I'm not the one skipping meals and running myself ragged."

Spinning his chair around to face the nurse, Carlisle handed off the discharge forms before freezing her with a stern gaze.

"Hand them over, young lady." He held out a hand which soon contained a recently opened pack of cigarettes. "Gloria, how many times must we do this? You can be as bad as my children sometimes. You know that these are killing you and you have to stop."

"I'm already an old woman. I deserve to be able to enjoy my twilight years before my time is up."

"You'll be better apt to enjoy them if you're not attached to an oxygen tank." Carlisle shook his head as his breath exploded in an exasperated huff. "Okay, I'll make a deal with you. I'll eat and go lay down for a while IF you promise me that you will not touch these things again for the rest of the night. Do we have an agreement?"

"You'll eat that entire sandwich?"

"Every crumb of it. What is it anyway?"

"It's just chicken salad."

Carlisle felt the venom rise in his throat like bile, but forced it back down as he gave Gloria a brief nod.

"Alright, you've got yourself a deal."

The doctor smiled up at his nurse. "Good, because I don't want to lose you. Obviously my life would be in shambles without you."

"Don't I know it." Gloria grinned in a very self satisfied way while double checking the doctor's paperwork. "Now, let me go send that little demon home and you get to eating."

Relenting to her demands, Carlisle took a bite and somehow managed to choke down the foreign food, before the elderly woman was satisfied that he would keep up his end of their bargain.

"If you need me, I'll be in my office. I have to make a call to Esme so she knows that I'm working late."

"Grab you a blanket out of the cabinet on the way. It can get mighty chilly when you're not running around and we don't need two doctors down sick."

_Perfect excuse if she finds me vomiting later on._

"That we do not. Thank you for your concern, Gloria and remember, no cigarettes."

_I don't want to think that I've eaten this God awful thing for nothing._

* * *

Reclining on the leather couch with a pillow cradling his head, Carlisle did indeed feel a little sick. It had been a long time since he was forced to eat for appearance sake and now he remembered why he avoided such displays like the plague.

_The plague would be more enjoyable. _

Wrapping the thin cotton blanket around him for psychological comfort, if not warmth, the elder pulled his phone from his hip pocket and dialed up his loving mate.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Sweetheart."

"Carlisle? I thought that you would have been home by now. I saw the accident on the news, but Alice said that it wouldn't have you running late."

"Alice missed the fact that Bill Snow is under the weather and Mark had unbreakable plans with his wife. Today is her birthday and I couldn't force him to stay here when they were meant to be sharing a night on the town."

"So you're pulling a double shift?"

"I'm afraid so, unless I get sick as well, which is a distinct possibility."

"What do you mean?" The worried tone in his wife's voice made Carlisle regret having mentioned anything.

"It's really nothing, grá mo chroí. Gloria forced some food down me, that's all. Though, I do fear it's going to be making a return journey in the not too distant future."

"Oh, Carlisle you shouldn't have done that."

"I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Believe me, I did not want this." Carlisle chuckled softly before a sadness crept into his voice. "How's Alice holding up?"

"She's doing okay. Our baby girl is understandably anxious, but she's doing her best to hide it."

"Why didn't you call me and let me know what was going on? I could have helped."

"There wasn't anything that you could do to fix the situation and I didn't see the point in disturbing you at work. Besides I can handle our children just as well as you can. I am their mother, Carlisle."

"I understand that, Love, but you don't have to handle them on your own." He sighed quietly before forcing himself to ask a question that he really did not want the answer to. "Do we need to start looking for a new school for Jasper?"

There was a moment of disturbing silence from the other end of the phone, but finally a quiet befuddled voice responded with a simple, "No."

"Honey, the whole point of sending him to school is to give him the opportunity to socialize and build his confidence in his self control."

"Which he will continue to do."

"I don't understand. I've been told that he was expelled for fighting and punching one of his teachers."

"Oh dear Lord, no. Jasper has been suspended for a week and we need to talk about the provision imposed by Mr. Greene for his return, but he will be going back to school. Carlisle, if the situation had been as bad as that, I most certainly would have called you straight away."

Relief settled over the patriarch and he found himself relaxing further into the couch.

"You have no idea how good it makes me feel to hear you say that. I had hoped that the young man I was treating was lying to me. When he told me that Jasper had punched a teacher, I just didn't know what to think. It would be so unlike our son to behave that poorly. I had no idea what could have possibly gotten into the boy."

When the line fell silent again, Carlisle felt a stirring in his gut that had nothing to do with the cafeteria's chicken salad sandwich.

"Esme?"

"Darling, Jasper did punch a teacher," she began hesitantly. "But it was an accident. She stepped in between the boys and became collateral damage. That's why he has been suspended while the youngster that he was tangling with is just serving out detention. Mr. Greene really didn't want to suspend him, but the man's hands are fairly well tied and Jazz's attitude didn't win him any favors."

"I see," Carlisle muttered softly with a light groan as he rubbed his forehead with his free hand. "Well, make sure that Jasper knows he is housebound until we get this all straightened out. I'll have a few words with him and Alice when I get home, but their punishment will have to wait until tomorrow evening. The extra time to think about their activities might do them some good in the long run."

"It's only Alice's misdeeds that require addressing."

"Esme, you know that I can't let Jasper ..."

"Carlisle, Jasper has already been punished. I've taken care of that myself. Believe me, the boy has already paid heavily for his crime. There is no need in bringing it back to his attention and certainly no need to discipline him again."

"Sweetheart, this is a very serious issue."

"And I have handled it as such, in fact I worry that I might have been a little too hard on him. I think I've hurt him."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Believe what you will, Carlisle Cullen, but that boy has suffered quite enough for his mistake and you will not be adding to that. He has learned his lesson. You will drop this subject in regards to our soldier boy."

Knowing that he would never win against a protective mother, Carlisle admitted defeat with a slight change of subject.

"Is Alice nearby? I would like to talk to her for a few minutes. Maybe I can help alleviate some of her anxiety."

"She's up in her room. Hang on a minute and I'll get her."

Carlisle heard a rustling followed by his wife's gentle voice.

"Em, would you please ask Alice to come down."

"Sure, Momma. HEY, ALI! MOM WANTS YOU! ...What?"

The patriarch could not help but laugh at his son's helpfulness and was once again reminded as to how very lucky he was to have these six extraordinary people in his life.

"It's your father, Honey."

"Oh." Alice quickly claimed the phone and settled down on one of the kitchen chairs.

"Hi, Daddy. I thought that you would have been home by now."

"Some things came up, Sweetie and I'm going to be stuck at work until around five in the morning."

"Hm. I didn't see that."

"You've probably been too preoccupied to notice such things."

"Maybe a little preoccupied."

Carlisle could clearly detect a touch of dispiritedness in his baby's tone.

"Are you worried for yourself or for Jazz?"

"A little of both I guess. I am sorry, Daddy."

"I know that you are, Princess. Luckily, the young man is going to be fine so there is no reason for you to concern yourself with that worry."

"Oh, I'm not worried about Bradley. He deserved everything that he got and then some. I'm just sorry that I put you and Momma in this position and I don't want Jazzy to be punished when it really wasn't so much his fault.

Bradley is a jerk, Daddy. Somebody needed to take him down. I just wish that I had been able to do it in a way that didn't land me in trouble, but I couldn't so now I'll just have to deal with the consequences."

Carlisle found himself momentarily speechless. It was unlike his little pixie princess to be so remorseless when she knew her actions would be deemed wrong. While he could not deny that her evaluation of Bradley's personality was right on the mark, he also could not believe his daughter felt that her actions were justifiable.

"Mary Alice, when is it permissible to lash out at another person in anger?"

"Never, Daddy."

"And who made you judge, jury and executioner of this young man?"

"He did when he insulted Jazzy. You've always said that we should stand up for each other. That's all that I was doing. I was standing up for my mate when he couldn't be there to defend himself."

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration then let his hand fall to rest upon his chest as he sighed deeply.

"I do want you to look after each other, Baby, but I can't have you attacking another student unprovoked."

"But I was provoked. He was saying some very mean things."

The elder rubbed his temples as his stomach lurched. This was going nowhere fast and he was feeling more ill by the minute.

"Baby, what you did was wrong."

"I know that, Daddy."

"It doesn't appear that you do, Sweetheart," came his exasperated reply. "Okay, here's what I would like you to do. I want you and Jasper to sit down and write out exactly what transpired between the two of you and this young man. Maybe I am the one who is misunderstanding. If so then this should help clear the facts up for me. If not, then maybe seeing the details in black and white will give you a better appreciation for what occurred and why you can never do anything like this ever again."

When his daughter failed to respond, Carlisle continued in a slightly softer tone.

"I would like you to have that finished by the time I get home. That will give me tomorrow to read it over so we can discuss it when you get home from school."

"Is Jazzy in trouble, because I can't tell, Daddy and it's very frustrating. The visions keep changing, but if you're making him write out his story..."

"No, Baby. Your mother claims that she has already helped Jasper when it comes to seeing the error of his ways so he is not in trouble with me. I am disappointed with his behavior, the same as I am with yours, and he will most likely be aware of that fact, but I won't punish him again. That wouldn't be fair to Jazz or your mother. I just want to read what happened from his point of view so we can fill in the gaps and maybe make some sense of this debacle."

The doctor drew a calming breath as he gently added, "It also gives the two of you something to do to keep busy since you are both under house arrest indefinitely."

"That part I did already know," she muttered quietly.

Carlisle could picture his pixie daughter's shoulders fall as she chewed nervously on her bottom lip while slipping into a more reflective state of mind.

"Alice, we will work through this together; you, Jasper, your mother and I. It's okay to feel nervous, but there is no cause to be scared."

"I'm not scared." There was a slight pause before she amended her statement with, "At least not very much. Maybe just a little."

"Baby, do you trust me?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Then you know that I'm telling you the truth. We've faced worse so believe me when I say that we'll get through this with no trouble."

"I just don't think that my behind is in full agreement with that."

Carlisle smiled to himself as he shook his head.

"Your behind needs to make its concerns known to your brain whenever you find yourself in these situations so you'll make better choices on how to react."

"I knew that this was somehow my butt's fault all along."

A warm chuckle came through the phone causing Alice to smile.

"I better go get started on that paper. Have to squeeze it in between my homework assignments."

"Take care of your school work first and don't forget to ask Jasper to do the same."

"I'll tell him. It will help us get our stories straight anyway."

"Alice," the elder growled menacingly.

"Just kidding, Daddy. Love you. Have a good night and don't work too hard. Here's Momma back."

He heard Esme's soft exhalation as she was handed the phone.

"And now you know why I've left that one for you. I just can't seem to get through to her."

"She is being extremely hardheaded, but she'll come around. You'll see."

"I really do hope that you're right, Carlisle because I don't know what else we can do."

"Our children are sensible; stubborn, but sensible. Just give her time to think things through."

"Of course, Love. She can have all the time that she needs."

"I wish I could say the same for me. I was just paged back to the ER. I have to go, a stór. I'll see you soon."

"Not soon enough, Lover," Esme purred.

"Don't start tempting me now or this is going to end up being a very long night."

His mate giggled causing the doctor to groan.

"Good night, Carlisle. I'll keep the light on for you."

"Just make sure to have nothing else on, Mrs. Cullen."

"Oh, if only Edward could hear you now."

With a gentle laugh, Carlisle said his goodbyes as Gloria's voice came across the intercom system once again.

"No rest for the wicked," the doctor grumbled as he extracted himself from under the blanket and grabbed his lab coat. While slipping it on, his mind wandered through thoughts of what he was going to do with his miscreants back home.

He couldn't punish Alice if she honestly didn't understand why her actions were wrong and he wasn't sure how he was going to break through that mental barrier that she seemed to have erected.

Then there was Jasper. Esme seemed convinced that his punishment had been sufficient to correct his behavior, but Carlisle didn't feel as optimistic. The boy had attempted to harm Alice. A threat to one's mate was enough to cause any of them to seek vengeance, but Jasper's highly tuned protective drive made that fact even more compelling. That didn't sit well with the elder and he knew that his son's activities would have to be closely monitored for at least the next few days even though he also knew that Esme would be offended by such action.

The wail of a siren forced his personal issues to the background. His focus was needed here and now to address the needs of the sick and injured. There was still several hours before he had to face his family and he could only hope that he would stumbled upon a solution to his dilemma in the meantime.

"We've got a forty eight year old man coming in complaining of chest pains and abdominal discomfort."

Carlisle's stomach gave a lurch as it attempted to reject the human food that it was being forced to endure.

"I can relate."

Gloria rolled her eyes.

"The chicken salad isn't that bad. It's not like my mother use to make, but it is edible."

"If you say so, Gloria, but I think the mayonnaise might have turned. It's not sitting too well."

"There's no mayo in it and it was perfectly fresh so stop your bellyaching' and get to work. Grown man afraid of a little chicken salad. Now I've seen everything." The nurse pushed past him to greet the EMTs as they wheeled the patient through the door.

_More like a nearly four hundred year old vampire scared of a little chicken salad. Oh Gloria, if you only knew how accurate your statement about having seen everything really is.  
_

Draping his stethoscope around his neck, Carlisle took a deep breath and tried to ignore the unfamiliar uncomfortable feeling in his gut as he set his sights on attending to his latest patient in what was turning out to be a very long night.

* * *

AN: Just a little filler/bridge chapter to bring Carlisle up to speed. The poor thing really had no idea about what has been going on. I also needed a way to keep him at the hospital so Jasper can have the chance for a bit of fun at Bradley's expense.

Thanks for all your continuing support. You guys rock my world. My undying gratitude to my tireless beta, Splinter, who suffers just as much as Carlisle. Hopefully they will both get a break soon. ;-)


	7. Retribution and Remorse

"Jazzy, stop pacing. Come lay down with me and relax," Alice called to her highly agitated husband as she switched from the shopping channel to a war documentary to give him something else to focus on."I really don't think that Momma is going to say anything to Daddy about what happened downstairs, and I know that no one else would either. From what I've seen, you should have nothing to worry about."

"I have everything to worry about, Sweetpea," he replied sadly while gazing out the window. "You've gone and gotten yourself into trouble on my account, and it's all because of that little prick. I should have belted him when I had the chance. One punch is all it would have taken. If I had put him in the hospital from the start, none of this would have happened."

"And then you would have been in even worse trouble; at school and with Daddy. It's all over anyway, Jazz. There's no use in worrying about things you can't do anything about. What's done is done. Let it go."

"That's where you're wrong, Hummingbird. I sure as hell can still do something. I can make that bastard pay for having the gall to touch you."

Alice sighed as she sat up on the side of the bed.

"Nothing good would come out of that and you know it. If you hurt him, you'll end up being branded a bully at best and a criminal at worse."

"I don't care what people think of me," Jasper muttered hoarsely.

Getting to her feet, the pixie made her way over towards her mate. Slipping her arms around his waist, Alice laid her cheek against his shoulder and closed her eyes.

Jasper diverted his gaze from the stormy darkness outside to the slender arms that embraced him. Interlacing the fingers of his left hand with his mate's right, the soldier drew a deep breath then sighed.

"You can't lie to me," she finally spoke in a whisper. "You are always worried about how people perceive you. It's a burden that you shoulder constantly."

Jasper shook his head, but Alice tightened her hold on his hand and pulled him around to face her.

"Yes, you do. You worry that everyone sees you as a monster," she stated with conviction as her hand lightly brushed over the scars on his jaw and neck. "Even though no one thinks that, it's still something that weighs heavily on your mind."

His eyes glittered as a bright bolt of lightning illuminated the darkness outside that continually called to him.

"Your opinion is the only one that matters to me."

"My opinion will never change, Jazzy. You know that. I love you and there isn't any power strong enough to change that."

"Then let me do this. I need to prove to myself that I can still protect you."

"I'm safe here with you right now."

"Now, yes, but you weren't back at school. I should have been there for you. You should have never been put in a position where you felt the need to defend my honor. It's my job to defend yours. I'll never be able to forgive myself if I don't set this right."

Jasper bowed his head as his growing shame made it impossible for him to look at Alice's angelic face any longer.

"It's already right." The pixie raked her fingers through his golden locks before trying to raise her mate's chin only to discover it glued securely against his chest. "Major Whitlock, look at me."

"Can't"

"Of course you can," Alice answered as she rolled her eyes.

"You just don't understand, Alice. There's more to it than just Bradley. Today has not been a good day at all. I've done something else that there is no redemption for. At least with the cretin, I can do something to help regain a little of what I lost."

"What are you talking about, Jazzy? What else happened?"

Jasper shook his head before leaning it against the pane of glass with a nearly inaudible groan.

"I let myself forget who I was. I turned my back on the man that I should be and took a coward's path. I..."

Finding the words too bitter to speak, the soldier shrank away from his wife and turned to gaze back out the window.

"Promise me that you won't go after Bradley."

The plea was barely a whisper, but Jasper found the emotions behind the words crippling. Still he shook his head.

"I can't do that. I won't make you a promise that I know I can't keep."

"Nothing is worth you getting into trouble."

"Defending your honor and reclaiming mine is."

"Jazzy."

"Alice," his voice dropped to a near silent whisper. "I need some time to process all of this. I'm angry, frustrated, disappointed in myself and more than a little confused and conflicted. On top of all that, I'm worried about you."

"About me?" The petite brunette ran her hands over her mate's tense shoulders. "There's no reason to worry about me. I'm here. I'm home with you and you'll always keep me safe."

"I can't keep you safe from Carlisle." The painful regret in his voice was palpable.

Alice drew a breath in an attempt to ease her nerves in the hope that it would make her emotions support her words.

"Daddy would never hurt me."

"You called him. You told him what happened. You've left him with no choice, but..."

"Yes, I did because it was the right thing to do. It's what you would have done in my place."

With a sardonic smile, Jasper shook his head then let it fall. His determined wife turned him back around once more and cupped his face between her hands, forcing his eyes to meet hers. What the soldier found in those eyes was a quiet strength and firm determination.

"I know that you would have. We admit when we are wrong and accept the consequences for our actions. We don't try to skirt around them or hide and hope that they will go away. All that does is make things worse when we finally get found out. You've always had the integrity to face up to your mistakes, Jasper Whitlock and I am proud to follow your example.

I don't regret getting into that fight with Bradley, but we both know that it goes against the rules. I'm already being punished at school, and I knew what would be waiting for me at home. At the time, I felt it was worth the risk to defend the man that means more to me than anything else in this world. My feelings haven't changed a bit."

Jasper's dark eyes flashed with anger.

"If you feel that way, then why won't you let me retaliate for the wrong that has been done to you? You're worth the risk. Don't you understand, Alice? It's my duty to defend you. Let me fulfill that duty so that I might be able to regain a sliver of my honor."

Alice sighed. "There's no honor in attacking someone weaker than you. Do you think that I actually acted in an honorable way? I know that I didn't. I admit that it felt really good, but that was only vengeance. I let him goad me into dishonoring myself. Confessing to Daddy was the first honorable thing I have done since I barged into that classroom. Accepting the punishment that is due me without trying to argue my way out of it will help towards regaining my honor.

Momma was right, Jazzy. I am better than this. We all are. Aggression is not the way to solve our problems. We should not lower ourselves to acting like a group of lowlife thugs. It's better to turn the other cheek and force people like Bradley to rise to our level, as if he even could." Alice managed a slight smile as she patted her husband's cheek lightly before releasing him.

"Besides, if you go out there and get yourself into more trouble, that will be disrespectful towards Momma. She'll think that her spanking had no effect on you at all. You know how hard it was for her to do that, but she put her feelings on hold to try to help you. She's even already had to take Daddy on, and did so without a second thought. You don't really want her to feel that she went through that entire ordeal for nothing, do you?"

Jasper remained silent for several minutes as he gazed into the warm supportive eyes of his mate. What would she think of him if she knew the truth? She still saw him as the good decent man he had been when he left the house this morning. Apparently her visions hadn't caught her up on his shameful behavior with Esme several hours ago. How differently would she look upon him once his despicable behavior has been exposed?

The Major needed to find some way to redeem himself before he fell into total irreparable disgrace. He could not abide this stain on his honor, but the only way he could think to cleanse it would be through admitting to Esme what he had done and accept the consequences. There was not much that rattled the soldier, but his mother's disappointment was more than he could bear. He simply had to find a way out of this predicament that didn't entail hurting Esme anymore.

"Hummingbird, do you think you could give me a little time to work things out on my own? I think I need to be alone to sort all of this out; just for a little while. You've given me a lot to think about, probably much more than you realize."

Alice pulled his head down and kissed his cheek as she nodded, but just as she was turning towards the door her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Glancing back at her mate, framed by the dark rain-beaten window, the pixie cocked her head and asked, "Why are you keeping me out? What are you really planning on doing?"

"I just need to think things through. I swear to you, Sweetheart, that is the truth. I simply have a lot on my mind that needs to be settled. I wouldn't say no to a quick hunt though."

His wife's bright amber eyes narrowed a bit more.

"For deer, Hummingbird," he sighed then gave a slight shrug. "Or maybe a wolf or two. I just feel that a run through the woods would do me the most good; help me work off some of the tension, but I don't see that meeting with Momma's approval anytime soon."

"Don't go after him. I want your word that you will not hurt that boy, and I'm not leaving until I hear you swear to it."

"I'm not going to harm a hair on his head."

"What about the rest of him?"

"Oh for the love..." Jasper rubbed his hand over his face before he drew a deep breath as he looked back at his mate. "I swear on what is left of my honor, I will cause no bodily harm to Bradley DeYoung."

Alice's stance relaxed ever so slightly. "Then why are you blocking my visions? What decision is it that you don't want me to see?"

Slowly, Jasper walked over to Alice and took her in his arms as he pulled her close against his chest. Resting his cheek against the top of her head, the soldier closed his eyes, before softly replying, "I'm not trying to block you out. There are some things that I did earlier, things that I'm not proud of, which I would prefer to keep to myself, but I'm still not restricting your access on purpose. I'm just that confused right now. I can't make a decision. That's why nothing is clear."

Lifting his head, Jasper pulled his mate away from him so he could see her eyes. "I need ta clear mah head, Darlin'. I'm et up right now, and need ta git mah head on straight. Ah don't know what else ta say ta make ya understand."

There wasn't an ounce of deception to be found in her mate's words. With a wordless nod, Alice caressed his cheek as she stood on tip toe and kissed him deeply.

"Do what you have to do, but remember your promise to me," she whispered before slipping out of his arms to disappear through the door, leaving the haunted soldier to deal with his demons in his own way.

Slumping down into his desk chair, Jasper cradled his head in his hands while he listened to the retreating footfalls of his mate fading away.

Looking up once again, he carefully scanned the house to determine if he was alone. Edward's piano and the light chatter of his mother and Emmett were easy enough to pin point, but Rosalie evaded detection. Suddenly the sickening sound of metal reluctantly scraping against metal set his teeth on edge.

_There's the final piece of that puzzle._

In one fluid movement the soldier was up and searching his closet. Digging out his leather jacket for the meager weatherproofing it would provide, Jasper slipped it on and turned up the collar before tacitly opening his window as he escaped into the stormy night.

As soon as his feet hit the sodden grass, the boy felt the tightness in his chest loosen. Here in the wild, on the hunt, he was afforded the ability to live in the moment. While racing through the forest, he was able to indulge his animal nature; embracing his freedom and power without restraint.

The driving rain made it more difficult to scent his prey, but the apex predator soon zeroed in on a small herd of black-tailed deer. Using the rain and wind to mask his presence, the hunter took to the trees until he was balanced lightly above the huddled animals.

Death dropped silently into the center of the herd, quickly claiming the life of an old doe before she had the time to feel fear. A snap of the neck and the hunt ended for both predator and prey while the rest of the gathering escaped to live another day.

Jasper sat with his back against the tree which had played such a vital role in his quick success. Pulling the deer into his lap he listened intently as the herd scattered; crashing through the underbrush and snorting in alarm. Any more hunting tonight would be a bit more problematic, but the soldier was satisfied with his kill.

Closing the animal's dark brown eyes, the Major took a moment to center himself and believe that he was a part of the life force of the forest instead of a damned creature doomed to exist in its shadow. The feeling of being part of something larger never lasted long, but he cherished every second he was afforded before the cold harsh reality of what he was came crashing back down to dash his fantasy.

Drawing a breath, he quickly wiped the drenched hair from his face while offering a prayer for the animal's sacrifice. His mind at ease, Jasper leaned down and easily tore through the thin skin of the gleaming white throat patch, staining it crimson with fresh blood. Within seconds, the deer's life was transferred over to him, bringing with it an inner warmth and sense of peace that his kind only experienced when feeding. As soon as the infusion of blood slowed, the peaceful feeling began to fade, leaving the boy feeling cold and troubled once again.

_The bane of feeding on animals, _Jasper thought with a snort._ With humans that feeling lasts for hours if not days._ Looking down at the cooling carcass, tears of frustration came into his onyx eyes before the Major could push the body away. _That should have been DeYoung. Death is a kindness compared to what he deserves for putting his filthy paws on my Alice. If another vampire had done that, he would have been ash by now. What makes this ignorant human so damn special? Nothing. Not a Goddamned thing. _

Jasper wrapped his arms around his knees and drew them up against his chest while shivering with rage.

"You promised that you wouldn't hurt him, and you will keep your word if it's the last thing you do. Whitlock, you have failed yourself and your family this entire day, you will not fail Alice in this," he scolded harshly as he knocked the back of his head against the tree, sending a shower of broken bark cascading down around him.

_So what are you going to do? _Standing, he held his hands out for the rain to wash the blood away. _I don't have any fucking clue, but you better come up with something soon._

Leaving the deer's body covered in leaf litter on the border of the nearest wolf pack's territory, Jasper took off towards town as the wind continued to howl its fury.

With his keen senses, it was all too easy to locate the boy's house, and the hated truck in the driveway was a dead give away.

Perched high in the branches of a large spruce, Jasper scanned the house for life only to discover what appeared to be an argument going on between father and son. Curiosity got the better of the soldier, who dropped down a few feet to find a more comfortable seat from which to enjoy the show.

"I don't really give a damn!"

The sound of breaking glass caused the Major to cringe.

"Well you had better start giving a damn, Son. Do you want a decent future or do you want to end up stuck here driving a truck or felling timber? I make a good living, but it's not enough to send you away to a school that will let you broaden your future possibilities. I want more for you, Brad. I've always thought that you wanted the same for yourself."

"Maybe I've changed my mind. What if I want to be a logger? What if I want to just bus tables in the diner all my life? It's my life. I can do with it as I please."

"That's true to a point. As long as you're living under my roof and not contributing towards the household expenses, you'll do as you're told. Your only job around here is being a student. I expect you to apply yourself to your school work, get an education and go on to become a productive member of society regardless of what career path you take. You don't accomplish any of that by going around trying to bully half of the student body."

"IT WAS ONE FUCKING FIGHT, DAD! ONE! AND I DIDN'T START IT!"

"Watch your tone with me, young man."

Jasper leaned back and closed his eyes as he visualized the scene going on inside the house. He almost felt sorry for Bradley, having been in similar positions too many times to count, both as a human and now as a vampire. The sources of the arguments were different, but the emotions were the same. Bradley wanted to prove that he was man enough to carve his own path, but he was nothing but a wet behind the ears pup. He still needed his family to help him out, but was too blind to see it, so he lashes out in an attempt to prove himself. That's never a smart move and NEVER turns out well.

"I don't really care who started it. All your life I've told you to walk away from conflict, but apparently that has continually fallen on deaf ears. You managed to get into two fights today, by Doctor Cullen's tally. Once this morning with his son and another later in the day when you punched his daughter.

I cannot believe that you would do such a thing. You know better. What would your mother think of this type of behavior? Do you really think that she would be proud of you right now?"

"It doesn't matter, does it? She's not here, so why should I care?"

"She's always with you."

"That's bullshit! She left me when I needed her the most."

"It's not like she wanted to leave you, Buddy. Your mother loved you more than anything in the world."

"Then why the fuck did she stop fighting? Why did she give up?"

Jasper rubbed his temples at the change in the topic of the argument. _Dude, I think you might want to join me in that anger management crap. From the sounds of it, you've got some issues that need working through._

The soldier didn't often keep up with the human gossip, but he remembered hearing about someone in their small community coming down with cancer. She had been undergoing treatment at an oncology clinic in Seattle as an outpatient, but eventually had been referred to a treatment center in Arizona. Despite the center's best efforts, she never laid eyes on Washington again. It had never occurred to the southern boy that this woman was someone's mother, or how her death had affected those that she left behind.

With a heavy sigh, Jasper felt the molten core of his anger slowly cooling. The need to avenge the mistreatment of his wife still simmered within him, but the Major couldn't help but feel a flicker of sympathy for his confused and angry enemy.

Looking at the dried blood beneath his nails, the empath shook his head at the thought of what he might have done had he caught the boy alone. What the outcome could have been had Alice not dragged that promise out of him. His knee-jerk reaction wouldn't have solved a thing. It would have only caused more grief to befall this already strained family.

Jasper knew in his heart that Bradley deserved to be punished, but couldn't he say the same for himself? Had his behavior at school really been any better? Not really, and at home it had only become worse.

If he had accepted his mother's correction at the beginning, he wouldn't find himself in his current predicament at home. Listening to the continuing exchange between Bradley and his father, reminded Jasper about how disappointed Carlisle would be in him to find out that he had deceived Esme. The Major also found himself considering how he would react if anything happened to the loving woman that he called his mother.

Rubbing his hands over his face, he let them come to rest over his closed eyes. Leaning his head back, the soldier groaned while the troubling thought captivated his mind.

Jasper knew that he would be as devastated as this human boy should Esme suddenly disappear from his life, and yet he had just treated her with unimaginable disrespect. Lifting his head, the boy angrily flicked away the venom that collected at the corners of his eyes.

_You have no right feeling sorry for yourself. You need to get your ass back home and come clean with your mother while you beg for her forgiveness on bended knee. _

Balancing on the heavy branch, he turned to go, when a nagging thought stopped him.

_You came all this way to punish the boy and you're contented to do nothing? Is there to be no justice for your mate?_

Jumping up, Jasper slammed his weight down on the limb with all his strength, cracking it and sending it plummeting towards the ground where it landed with a loud thud on top of Bradley's truck. Clinging to the tree trunk like a flying squirrel, the soldier took delight in the shattering of glass and groaning complaint of caving metal mere seconds before the truck's alarm system alerted the entire neighborhood to the mishap.

"What the fuck was that?!"

Jasper smirked as he placed some distance between himself and Bradley's house, but stayed close enough to get a glimpse of the enraged look on the young boy's face.

"SHIT! You motherfucking tree!"

A devilish glint sparkled in the Major's eyes as he whispered to himself, "Someone's mouth could do with a good soapin."

Feeling proud of his accomplishment, the soldier beat a hasty retreat as he left the humans to sort out their own problems while he worked on his.

Quickly flitting away through the trees, Jasper made his way back to the safety of the forest before he dropped to the ground and slowed his pace to give himself some more time to think on what he wanted to say to Esme when he returned home. He knew that the the only reasonable course was to be honest. He would have to admit to what he did. The southerner felt his shame rising once again as he realized that his mate had shown much greater integrity than he had. Surely, if Alice could find the courage to face Carlisle, he should be able to do the same with Esme. So why did it seem like such an impossible undertaking?

Even at his near human pace, the boy arrived home far too soon for his liking. He still wasn't ready to disclose his crime, but the Major was out of time and options. It was now or never and Esme deserved the hard to clear the lump that trepidation had put in his throat, Jasper leaped up to his window to find it shut and tightly locked.

_Shit._

Dropping lightly back to the ground, the boy patted his pocket. With a sinking feeling, the soldier realized that he must have left his phone behind. Alice had probably tried to warn him, but his carelessness had made that impossible. He would count himself lucky, if his wife didn't chew off whatever was left of his ear after his mother was done with him. The blasted phone was always supposed to be in his pocket. How in the world had he managed to leave without it?

With the rain still beating down upon him, Jasper walked around to the front of the house and found himself standing at the front door with his head bowed for the second time in this long day.

Unlike earlier, this time the Major found no need to knock. Standing there quietly in his pitiful state, Jasper heard the latch click softly before the door swung open.

"I should leave you standing there until your father comes home. As it is, I am seriously considering putting you in a corner for that period of time. Obviously you need to reflect on the concepts of right and wrong, young man, because you appear to be getting them confused."

"I am so sorry, Momma."

"Sorry that you were caught."

Jasper raised his eyes while keeping his head down in shame and submission. Esme looked tired and bitterly disappointed, but he could detect no anger from her.

"Yes, Ma'am," he sighed softly seeing no point in adding to his lies. "I was just... I mean to say..."

"I don't think I want to hear it right now, Jasper. Go upstairs and get cleaned up. There's blood on your shirt."

Jasper's head snapped up suddenly as he gazed at Esme through near black eyes, concerned by what his mother might be thinking.

"It's just deer blood. I swear, Momma, I didn't..."

"I know, Jazz. I can smell it." Esme soothingly brushed his wet hair out of his eyes as she tried to smile. "Dry yourself off. I'll be up in a little while to collect your wet things, and then we can talk about what happened."

"I just went out for a run. I was antsy and needed to clear my head, so I thought a hunt ..."

"Did you ask permission?'

The Major's head fell and his shoulders sagged. "No, Ma'am."

"Weren't you told that you were restricted to the house, or was that just my imagination playing tricks?"

"I was to stay home."

"But you didn't listen."

"No, Ma'am." The boy's voice grew fainter with each response.

"I'm not unreasonable, Jasper. If you felt the need to hunt, all you had to do was come and ask me. Instead you took it upon yourself to sneak out your window and disappear without a word. Do you know what thoughts went through my mind when I took your laundry upstairs and found your bedroom empty?"

Jasper nodded as he muttered, "Ah wasn't thinkin' gud."

"That, my dear boy, is a gross understatement." With a tilt of her head, Esme directed her wayward son inside. "Upstairs with you, and do as you're told this time."

Quickly slipping by his mother, Jasper darted past his siblings relaxing in the living room and raced up the stairs.

"Momma?" Alice's pleading expression tugged at Esme's heart, but the matriarch shook her head.

"Not this time, baby. You'll see him soon enough."

"But he needs me."

"I know he does, Ali, but I don't want him comforted until after I've spoken to him."

Emmett gave a low whistle as he thumbed through his gamer magazine. "Jasper is in some deep kaka now."

"Emmett."

"What?" The bruin glanced up at his mother with a puzzled expression. "I didn't say 'shit'."

Esme put her hand over her forehead and lightly rubbed her eyes, before looking back to her boy.

"Em, please refrain from commenting on your brother's state of being."

"I was just saying what everyone is thinking, Momma. He snuck out of the house while he was grounded. When Pops finds out his as...butt is grass. Collectively, we've all done enough stupid things to know that's a fact."

"Your brother feels bad enough without your speculation adding to his anxiety. Please, Emmett. Don't make this worse for him."

"Got it, Momma," the boy replied with a nod of understanding, before bellowing like a bull elk, "SORRY, BRO!"

The matriarch groaned and shook her head before disappearing into the kitchen to do some reflecting of her own.

* * *

Clean, dry and dressed in a t-shirt and his flannel sleep pants, Jasper laid curled up on his bed between the sheets with a plush blanket wrapped tightly around him. The soldier nervously watched the door, expecting the worse. Esme would come up at any moment to discuss how he immaturely broke his grounding within hours of being put on restriction.

_Stupid! _The boy chided himself as he rolled his eyes.

With that single act he had probably lost her trust, but that was just the beginning.

Jasper knew that at this moment Esme was disappointed in him, but as soon as he gets around to admitting to having been less than honest with her that disappointment was bound to turn to anger. The soldier had only himself to blame and yet, somehow that knowledge wasn't making owning up to his transgression any easier.

With a deep sigh, he snuggled further down in the bed.

He knew that the concept was foolish, but the boy couldn't help feeling that he constantly had to work to hold onto his place in the family. Nothing in life is ever just given freely. He had to earn acceptance and one small mistake could have it snatched away from him. If a small misstep could bring rejection, then what could a huge screw up like this do?

Pressing his thumb against the corner of his eyes to block a tear, the once noble soldier rolled onto his side and closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent of his mate that still lingered in the linens.

When Esme told Alice that she wasn't allowed upstairs, Jasper knew that he was completely lost.

_"I don't want him comforted."_

Those had been his mother's words and they were now permanently branded in his mind. Over and over, Esme's voice played in his head making him feel that his position was increasingly hopeless.

It was not like his mother to withhold comfort. _Hell, it's not like Carlisle either. She must be seriously pissed off with me. She's just doing a great job of not showing it. _Jasper blew out a held breath as he felt his heart break. _Even the condemned gets the comfort of a preacher before ..._

Before what? What was she going to do to him?

Jasper opened his eyes and glanced back at the door.

Whatever Esme had planned for him, well that would all go out the window once she learned the truth. What then? There wasn't a doubt in the southerner's mind that his mother would be furious with him, and rightfully so by his own admission. In her place he would... He didn't even want to think about it.

Would she properly tear into his hide this time, or be simply too mad to feel that she could trust herself with him? Esme didn't have a mean bone in her body, but she could be scary as hell when she got upset.

Maybe she wouldn't be able to bring herself to even look at him, let alone soil her hands on him. Esme might not feel that his contemptible manipulating ass was even worth her time. Maybe she would simply walk out and let Carlisle have at him once the patriarch got home.

Jasper's spirits dropped lower as his thoughts continued to churn.

Carlisle. Carlisle would be furious to know that he had manipulated Esme to get out of being punished. He hadn't used his gift to do it, but in some ways that seemed to make the whole debacle worse. If he had influenced her emotions, it could be viewed as him having been remiss in not controlling his projection, but this was so much more devious. This took thought and a little bit of skill. This time the Major had set out to deceive his mother, and his father would not appreciate that.

Jasper began to tremble slightly.

At least by now he knew that Carlisle would not throw him out or kill him; that was not the patriarch's way. Still, he could shun him and the others would naturally follow their father's lead. After all, who would want to associate with someone they could no longer trust?

The soldier had never been bothered by such concepts before. So what if Maria or her coven had eventually shunned him. Jasper would have enjoyed the peace that separation would have provided, especially in the later years.

Now though, with this coven, with his family, that prospect was devastating. The boy had no idea what he would do if they suddenly all turned against him. Then there was Alice. In his heart he knew that she would always be there for him, but how could she continue to love him unconditionally after finding out that he could be so unscrupulous? It was too much to hope for after he was exposed for having taken advantage of a woman who had offered them both nothing but love from the moment they showed up on her doorstep all those years ago.

Jasper's despair had reached an all time low when a faint knock sounded against his door.

Panic stricken, the Major stared wide-eyed at the door as though a terrible monster lurked on the other side just waiting to devour him.

"Jazz? Sweetheart? May I come in?"

He didn't want his family to turn against him. He didn't want his mother to come to despise him. He suddenly wasn't sure that he could weather the storm of his father's fury.

It was a few more moments, before the soldier found his voice and shakily bid his mother to join him. When she did so, Esme's expression appeared just as weary and hurt as it did when she had opened the door to her runaway son. Jasper knew that he could not add to her burden. At that moment, the gallant lad's courage failed and he knew that the truth would stay hidden a little while longer.

Esme closed the door quietly behind her then leaned against it as she studied her son. Jasper looked terrified, which bothered the matriarch greatly. She had never seen her soldier boy quite this worked up before and the atmosphere in the room felt heavy, adding to her concern.

"How are you feeling, Honey?" The matriarch softly inquired as her brows knitted in worry.

"Honestly? A little jumpier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs."

The matriarch smiled as she glanced down at the floor and drew a breath. When she looked back over at her boy, Esme nodded.

"I imagine that I would feel the same way, but trust me, Baby. I promise that you have nothing to worry about. May I sit with you?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Jasper sniffled a little as he wiped the back of his hand against his nose, before scooting over to make room for his mother.

Esme settled down on the edge of the bed and brushed the Major's hair out of his eyes. Taking note of his trembling, the matriarch did her best to find peace within herself hoping that it would calm the boy. One thing that she knew for sure, she was going to have to show him patience and understanding if they were both going to get through this intact.

Finding her son's honey colored locks still slightly damp from his shower, Esme sighed inwardly.

"You're lucky that you're not human, mister. With all of the drenching that you've gone through today, you would be laid up in this bed for a week with nothing but chicken soup to keep you company."

"And my Alice," he ventured with a brief smile.

"Then she would get sick, too, and I would have to tend to the both of you."

"I can think of worse things to endure."

Esme giggled softly. "As can I, Sweetheart."

The little brunette silently continued to soothe her son, until he inhaled deeply as he caught her hand and drew it away from his face to hold it against his chest.

Meeting his mother's eyes, Jasper swallowed hard.

"Momma, words can't begin to describe how sorry I am for what I've put ya through. Ah know that Ah've said it before so ya probably think its jest lip action, but it's the God's honest truth. Not jest 'cause Ah got caught, though Ah'm still sorry fer that, too."

A warm genuine smile formed on Esme's lips and reached all the way to her soft topaz eyes.

"I know that you are, Jazz. I do believe you. It's not in your character to fib to me. Now just calm down, okay? Everything is going to be fine, so I don't want you worrying about anything. There's no reason to fret. Just take the time that you need to relax."

The woman felt the boy stiffen slightly, but as she rubbed her thumb over the back of the hand that held hers, Esme found Jasper beginning to relax.

"Better?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good. Then we need to talk about what happened."

"I went out without permission."

"Yes, you did and that isn't like you. I would expect that sort of behavior from Emmett, but not you, Jazz. What's wrong, baby? Why didn't you feel comfortable enough to just come ask me to let you go hunt?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do, Sweetheart. Take a few minutes to think about it, if you have to. I need to know."

An odd feeling struck Jasper, causing him to look up at his mother and shake his head.

"You did nothing to cause this. Please don't think like that. I'm not scared to come talk to you about anything. I'll swear to that all day, if it makes a difference to you. I just... It was my fault. I didn't want to take the time to ask. I went out on an impulse.

You do whatever you have to. Punish me for disobeying you or tell Carlisle to do it. I deserve it. I screwed up. Me. Not you, Momma. Never you."

"Shh. Take it easy, Jazz. There's no need to get yourself worked up. I just had to make sure that you weren't still feeling ..."

_IDIOT! Tell her the truth. You can't let her go on believing this lie._

"Momma, when I mentioned Maria..."

"Don't, baby. I don't want you dragging up those memories again. I would never want you to have to relive that again. It's like me with my memories of Charles. It's better to leave the ghosts of our former lives rest."

"But, Momma, you don't ..."

"I do understand, probably better than you realize. No matter how much we try to suppress them, at times those memories come back with a vengeance. I just need you to be honest with me, Jasper. I need to know when something that I do triggers them, because I never want to cause you that sort of emotional pain or fear."

A muscle in the youth's jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth, but he finally conceded with a brief nod.

"I'll let you know if I'm ever afraid."

Leaning down, Esme kissed his forehead before softly whispering, "Thank you, Baby. It makes me feel better to hear you say that."

Jasper felt his mother's mood shift slightly as she sat a little straighter and a determined look entered her eyes.

"Alright, Jasper. With that settled, it looks like we need to discuss your shenanigans this evening."

"Yes, Ma'am." The boy shifted a little as he started to scoot out of the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I thought... Don't you want me standing?" He asked in a befuddled tone.

"No, you're fine where you are. All I want is your attention."

Jasper shrugged, but burrowed back under the covers before his mother could change her mind.

"Now, you knew that you were not allowed to leave this house without permission?"

With a defeated sigh, the Major glumly responded, "Yes, Ma'am. You did tell me that, and Alice related the same message from Papa."

"So you blatantly disobeyed."

Esme's southern soldier closed his eyes and swallowed. Finally after several seconds of silence he managed a quiet, "Yes, Ma'am."

"What do you think we should do about that?"

"I know what Papa would do."

"That's not what I asked."

Jasper rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling while mulling the question over in his mind.

"I guess I have to agree with Papa since it's pretty apparent that I didn't learn my lesson. I knew better; really, I did. With that in mind, I was just determined to do what I wanted instead of what I should have done. That's not a very good show of contrition for my earlier behavior."

"No, it's not, baby."

Shifting his focus, Jasper forced himself to meet his mother's gentle gaze.

"I guess you want me up now."

"Jasper Whitlock Cullen, I have allowed you to tell me what course of action you believe is a fair penance for your disobedience and the worry you caused me," Esme stated softly while Jasper turned his gaze away. Lightly grasping his chin, the matriarch bought him back to face her and refused to release her hold until his eyes were staring steadily into hers. "Now, I am going to tell you what I'm going to do. I am going to give you and Alice an hour to yourselves, and then you are going to march your fanny down those stairs and spend time with your family, where I can keep an eye on you until it's time for them to get ready to go to school.

While they are at school, you are going to have some extra chores to work on. That should keep you busy and out of trouble. Once those are complete, you'll get to keep your father and I company, until your siblings come home.

I'm afraid that your freedom and privacy are going to have to be earned. If you show me that you can behave yourself, that won't take long, but for at least the next couple of days, I want someone with you at all times, unless your father or I have set a task for you. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Make the most of this second chance, Jasper."

"I will."

Esme cocked a brow and studied her son for a moment before she seemed satisfied. With a sigh, she got to her feet.

"One last thing, Major."

The youth looked up at her with large watery eyes.

"I would like you to please get up now."

Reluctantly, Jasper wiggled out of bed and stood at attention before his mother with his hands clasped together at the small of his back.

With a hand on his shoulder, Esme angled him to the side and smiled as he shut his eyes. Drawing her hand back, the matriarch swung hard through the air, only to stop short and lightly pat her soldier's rump.

Placing both hands on his shoulders, she turned the boy back to face her. Esme couldn't help but smile at the confusion on the lad's face.

Doing her best to appear stern, the fiery brunette crossed her arms while locking Jasper in her gaze.

"Don't make me have to do that again, young man. If there is a second time, I promise it will be much harder and longer and then you can speak to your father."

"Yes, Ma'am. There won't be a second time. Once was plenty."

"I feel the same."

Taking him into her arms, Esme hugged her son while he laid his head upon her shoulder. Swaying gently, she carded her fingers through his hair and whispered in his ear, "Please don't test me, Honey. I don't want to be harsh with you, but I will be if it's what you require."

Heaving a sigh, Jasper nodded as a tear trickled down his cheek to splash on his mother's shoulder.

"I don't want to put you in that position. I never wanted it to be like that. It's just that sometimes..."

"I know, baby. Sometimes it's hard to do what you know to be right, but you're my brave soldier, Jazz. You're my good boy. Out of all of my children, you are the one that I never feel the need to question. I know that you will always do what's right, even if on rare occasions it takes a little time for you to get there."

Another tear made its bid for freedom as the soldier absorbed as much of his mother's love as he possibly could. He feared that it might be quite some time before it would be offered so freely again.

_She'll never trust you again; never be able to believe a word that you say. Doesn't seem worth it now, does it? You know the longer you let this go on, the harder it's going to be to fix, if you can even fix it at all. The truth always finds a way to make itself known and once it does... What have you done, Whitlock? What has your fool ass gone and done?_

* * *

**AN:** Jasper. He is really trying to do right by Esme, but he's having a rough go of it. He got so close, which I don't mind telling y'all worried me to no end because that wasn't in the game plan. That soldier wants to regain his honor in the worst way, so he and I have been having words. His chance will come in the next chapter and for those who feel that Esme has been too easy on the Major... well just stay tuned. The Mama bear really doesn't like to show her claws to her cubs, that that doesn't mean that she doesn't have them, nor is she afraid to use them when the situation deems it necessary.

Thank you all for your support. I don't mind tellin' ya that this chapter did give me a headache, so if it wasn't for y'all, I very likely could have thrown in the towel. And please, don't feel too bad for Bradley. Yes, he is hurting so there is some reason behind his anger, but he still should not be taking it out on others. He has to work through his issues just like Jazzy has to work through his. Besides, Emmy has requested that I let him have fun with Bradley. I just can't deny that bruin his entertainment when he does such a terrific job of entertaining me.

Giving a shout out to my wonderful beta, Splinter and the ever helpful and lovable Jasper1863Hale, for all they do to make this happen. Thanks guys!


	8. A Mother Scorned

"Jazzy, you have to tell her," Alice quietly advised while all of her school preparations ceased. Her mate's confession had shocked and confused the little pixie, but she did her best to suppress her feelings. Her down trodden soldier needed her support not her judgment, and she knew him well enough to realize how he would misinterpret her emotions.

The question of 'why' plagued her mind, but the petite princess would wait for that to be answered in its own time when her husband was ready to disclose his actions more thoroughly. For the moment he simply needed someone to share his burden with before his guilty conscience consumed him, and Alice would gladly offer whatever he needed.

With his head hung low, Jasper turned away in shame and took a few steps away from the huge walk-in closet before a tiny hand caught his arm.

Gently tugging him back around towards her, the pixie glanced up into his anguished face.

"You have to tell Momma what you did."

"I...I don't know if I can," the Major quietly confessed as his shame lent a heaviness to the room.

"I do," Alice stated with clear conviction.

Jasper ran a hand through his thick honey colored hair as he sighed while giving a shake of his head.

"She's going to be so angry with me. How could I have been so stupid?"

Reaching up to caress his cheek, the soldier's soul mate encouraged him to look at her. The shame and remorse swirling in the amber depths of his eyes caused a phantom pain in Alice's silent heart. Her heroic guardian now stood before her looking for all the world like a lost little boy.

If she hadn't already known it, that expression would have easily conveyed what Jasper needed most at that moment. The weary warrior needed his mother. He needed to make amends, and he needed her forgiveness. Jasper's self-condemnation would not cease until he talked to Esme and faced whatever fallout came his way.

With a soft sigh of her own, the pixie brushed the hair out of her husband's eyes as she shushed him.

"It's a mistake. A surprising one, but still just a mistake. Momma could never stay mad at you, Jazzy. You know that."

When he moved to turn away, Alice caught his chin and forced him to look her in the eye to see that she was being truthful.

"She may be mad, but more likely she'll be hurt. Can you blame her for feeling like that?"

The soldier closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head before looking back at his patient wife.

"I'm a failure as a son."

"Jasper Whitlock, you get that thought out of your head this minute," Alice quietly yet sternly admonished before continuing in a gentler tone. "I don't know why you did what you did, but I'm sure that it seemed reasonable at the time. Yesterday was stressful for all of us. You were just reacting to that stress. Now that you've had time to settle down, you realize your mistake and you obviously want to fix it.

You will be able to repair any damage that you might have done. Momma will forgive you; all you need to do is ask. You haven't failed anyone."

Steadily holding his wife's gaze, Jasper huffed before allowing his head to fall once more.

"I've failed myself."

Tucking a golden lock behind his ear, the pixie whispered, "Then fix it. You know what you have to do."

After several moments of silence, Jasper finally nodded.

She was right. Alice had always been a shoulder for him to lean and occasionally cry on. He knew when he decided to confess his deception to her that she would gently nudge him in the right direction. Whenever he became lost, Jasper knew that he could count on his intuitive mate to shine a guiding light.

Inhaling deeply, he glanced at the angelic face of the magical being he was humbled to call his wife. He could tell that she never doubted that he would make the right decision, but he still wasn't sure of that himself.

"I know that I have to, but I'm not ready; not just yet."

An understanding light shone in her eyes.

"If you need to think about what to say, take your time, but try not to wait too long. It only gets harder."

"I know, Buttercup. I'm just ..." He allowed his words to trail off as he averted his eyes; searching the ceiling for the correct term for what he was feeling.

"Embarrassed?" Alice offered.

"That, too." Jasper swallowed hard before looking back at his wife. "I never meant to hurt her. I guess I'm hoping that she will be spittin' mad with me. Pissed off is easier to take than disappointment or just plain hurt."

The pixie smiled as Jasper leaned into the hand that now gently cupped his cheek.

"I get the feeling that you're going to have to deal with all of those emotions, Jazzy, but you'll both survive."

"I almost wish that she would just kill me. That would be much easier."

Alice pulled her comforting hand away and slapped him hard on the arm as a scowl darkened her features.

"Don't you ever say anything like that. Not even as a joke, Major Whitlock. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied as he rubbed at the stinging spot on his bicep. "My apologies. I didn't really mean anything by that. I was just saying..."

"No." The seer pointed a finger at her mate, stopping his explanation cold. "First off, it would bother Momma to hear you talk like that; as much, if not more than it does me. Second, you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and hoping for an easy way out. There is no easy way.

You've never turned your back on what was right in order to chase after what was easy. Don't start doing that now. If you do, you'll only end up being disappointed in yourself and that's a lot harder to handle than Momma's, Daddy's or anyone else's disappointment in you."

Alice took a step back and closed her eyes as she folded her arms while taking several deep breaths. Upon reopening them, she was pleased to see the expression of awe and chagrin that Jasper wore.

"You're right, Alice. I..."

"Shh." She placed her finger against his lips before quickly following that with a kiss.

As she broke away, the pixie smiled sweetly at her gallant soldier.

"Follow your heart, Jazzy. It won't lead you astray."

"Obviously, you and Papa have conflicting views on that matter," the Major stated with an easy smirk.

Alice tipped her head to the side and thought for a moment before she reached up to pull her mate's head down and whispered in his ear," Daddy is usually right, but he's not perfect."

The sprite danced on her toes to kiss her mate's cheek then released him and returned to the task of getting ready for school.

"Trust me," she called out from the depths of the closet as Jasper sat down on the bed. "Your heart is the way to go this time, so don't think too much or you'll just end up stalling. You'll feel better when it's over, so do it quick." Alice's head suddenly reappeared, wearing a trendy brimmed hat that matched her gray slacks. "Like a band-aid. It hurts when you yank it off, but if you go slow, it pulls a lot more and is way more ouchy."

Jasper rolled his eyes as his wife disappeared yet again.

"And when exactly did you have a run in with an adhesive bandage?"

"I haven't, but I just know that's true. That's why they make those ouchless kinds. No point in doing that if the other ones didn't hurt."

The southerner shook his head at his mate's logic, but with nothing to refute it, he fell quiet.

A few moments later, Alice emerged dressed and ready for school while the sound of Emmett's bellowing call echoed from downstairs.

"I have to leave, Jazzy. Think about what I said, alright?"

"I will, Hummingbird," Jasper agreed as he allowed his mate to grasp his hand and pull him to his feet.

Hand in hand, the pair made their way downstairs to meet up with their siblings, but a soft disembodied voice from the living room stopped them in their tracks.

"Alice, may I please talk to you for a moment?"

"Yes, Daddy."

Giving Jasper's hand a squeeze, the pixie relinquished her security soldier before quickly going to find their father, leaving her mate to stand alone and very much worried in the hallway.

Carlisle was seated on the sofa watching the morning news when his princess popped up in front of him.

Swiping the remote control from his hand, Alice turned enough to fire away at the television to mute it, then handed the controller back to her father.

The patriarch cocked a brow as he glanced from the remote to his daughter.

Clasping her hands together a little nervously, the pixie bounced up and down on her toes.

"You were going to do that anyway, so I thought that I would save you the trouble," she softly answered his unspoken question while beaming.

Carlisle closed his eyes and shook his head as a weak smile tugged at his lips. Rubbing his forehead, the man finally glanced back at his little girl.

"Thank you, Baby. That was very considerate."

"I try to be considerate."

"Yes, you do, Sweetheart. That's what makes this school issue all the more unbelievable."

"Daddy, there are just some people who come along needing a reality check by way of a swift kick in the keister. You know that's true. I swear that's all I did."

"Well, that kick of yours put the boy in my emergency room. I say that was going overboard, don't you?"

"I didn't mean for him to get hurt."

Carlisle froze as his eyebrows shot up in surprise at his daughter's statement.

Rolling her eyes, Alice permitted her stance to relax slightly as she attempted to explain.

"I wanted to hurt him, but I didn't plan on him being hurt. Just because I was feeling it, that doesn't mean I wanted to go through with it."

With a sigh, the pixie lowered her gaze.

"I'm not sorry that he's hurt since he really deserved it, but I am sorry that he was hurt that badly. I would never want to cause anyone to suffer; not even an annoying, selfish little worm like Bradley."

"Mary Alice."

"It's true. He is a sneaky little worm, and it's because of him that Jazzy has been suspended."

"Just like it's his fault that you are going to be serving detention?"

"Exactly!" she exclaimed with a smile before catching the disagreeing look in her father's eyes. "Or maybe not."

Settling back a little more on the couch, the doctor reached out to take his daughter's hand and pulled her down onto his lap.

"I don't believe it was the young man who walked into your classroom to pick a fight."

Alice's eyes swiftly left Carlisle's face, but the patriarch was having none of that. The clearing of his throat was enough to cause the pixie to return his gentle but stern gaze.

"Was it, Mary Alice?"

A soft puff of air preceded the nearly inaudible, "No."

"Still think this is ALL the boy's fault?" the elder inquired as he brushed the short dark hair away from his baby's bright eyes.

"Maybe it wasn't entirely his fault, but it was mostly."

It was Carlisle's turn to sigh.

"I have no doubt that he didn't help the situation, but you are still much more mature than Mr. DeYoung, Princess. You know how to handle situations like this. It's not the first time you and Jasper have had a run in with troubled teens, and you've always walked away before."

"But this teen was being an ass, Daddy. He suggested that Jazzy was the troubled teen. He said that Jazz should be sent away to military school."

"Language, Mary Alice, and maybe the lad has a point."

Alice's mouth fell open as she gaped at her father, but Carlisle shook his head.

"I'm not saying that I would do that, but he has had to attend a private school before."

"That was when he had his trouble with controlling his thirst. Jazzy is a veteran soldier. He could run a military school; he doesn't need to attend one."

"I agree with you, Baby, but the fact is, Jasper did act out. If we want to say that the human boy is troubled, then we have to be willing to say the same about Jasper."

"But, Daddy."

"Princess, I know that Jasper is no more troubled than anyone else. I also know that he holds himself to a higher standard than the humans attending your school. Jazz let himself down when he got into a fight with this boy, and Bradley's assumption about there being a problem was quite true."

Alice turned her head away, prompting Carlisle to catch her chin and bring it back towards him.

"That, young lady, is the reason that there is no excuse for your behavior. I understand the need to defend your mate, but there was nothing to defend him from. Bradley DeYoung was stating his opinion, an opinion that isn't far off the mark, and you overreacted."

"He was being so mean."

"I understand that you feel that way, but you can't take vigilante justice based on hurt feelings."

Alice opened her mouth to refute her father's statement when a bellow came from the kitchen.

"Alice! Come on. We're gonna be late. Shake a tail feather, lil Sis!"

"I'm with Daddy, Em."

"Oh, crap. SORRY, POPS!"

"It's alright, Son," Carlisle answered as he pulled his baby girl into a supportive hug. "We're done here anyway."

Placing a kiss on the top of his daughter's head, the patriarch held her tightly to him for a few moments before gently releasing her.

"We'll continue our discussion when you get home this afternoon."

The pixie inhaled deeply. "In your study?"

Carlisle simply nodded.

Releasing her breath, Alice lowered her head and gazed at the strip of leather encircling her father's waist before whispering, "I was afraid of that."

Kissing the elder's cheek, the bright-eyed girl slipped off his lap, landing lightly on her feet.

"I'm going to be a little late, Daddy."

"I know, Princess. Just make sure to come straight home."

Alice nodded and was starting to walk away when she stopped. Turning back, she glanced at her father.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, Baby. I'm fine."

"You don't look fine, Daddy."

Carlisle gave his daughter a weak smile.

"Just an upset stomach, Honey. I had to eat a chicken salad sandwich at work. Needless to say, it didn't sit well. I didn't think it was even possible, but it was worse on the return trip."

"Eww." A look of disgust crossed the girl's face as she gave a shudder. "Maybe you should go hunting and get some real food in your system."

"Your mother and I will take Jasper hunting a little later. I think we could all use a little recharge."

"That's a great idea," the pixie chirped as her expression lightened. "I don't think he fed enough last night, so a hunt will sure do him some good."

"Last night?" Carlisle's brow furrowed at his daughter's statement. "After he was told to stay home?"

Alice's eyes grew large as she realized her mistake too late.

"I thought that Momma had already told you."

"It must have slipped her mind."

"Then let it slip yours that I said anything. Apparently it wasn't a big deal. I mean, I don't think it was and if Momma didn't say anything..."

"Go on to school, Princess. You don't want to be late."

"Daddy, please don't be mad at Jazzy," she pleaded. "He just really needed to work off some nervous energy so he went and hunted to help reduce his stress. Yesterday was such a bad day."

Carlisle raked his hands through his hair as he groaned.

"Yesterday was an extremely bad day for a good number of people in this house. Let's hope that today doesn't follow suit."

"Will it?" she asked in the softest of whispers. "Because I can't tell. My visions haven't been clear, and I don't know why. I'm worried."

"ALICE!" the bear boomed.

"Emmett, go get the car started. Your sister will be out in just a minute," came the elder's response while he crooked a finger to beckon his daughter.

With her once more standing between his knees, Carlisle quickly took notice of the tears shining in her eyes. Taking both of her hands in his, he spoke in a soothing tone.

"Alice, I don't know, but I have to believe that today will be better, and I would like you to try to focus on the positive. It does no good to dwell on dark thoughts. Don't waste your energy in feeding them. I want you to go out and make this day the best that it can be. Will you do that for me?"

"I'll try."

"That's my girl." He smiled warmly as he released a hand to reach up and cup her cheek, before turning serious. "Now, I can't say that this evening is going to be pleasant for either of us, but I'm sure that is something you already knew."

Biting her bottom lip, the pixie nodded.

"That doesn't mean that the day can't be good overall. Nothing is so set in stone that it can't be altered with the right outlook."

Alice nodded again as she continued to hold her father's gaze.

"I know that it's asking a lot from you, but I also don't want you to worry about Jasper. I'm not angry with him. I plan on talking to your mother about what happened last night, and I might have a few words with Jazz as well, but I promise that's all that will happen.

From what your mother has told me, his behavior has already been corrected. I see no reason to have to punish him myself. I would just like to hear what happened from the horse's mouth, and then it's over with. You have my word, Princess."

The patriarch watched as his little girl relaxed upon hearing his reassurance that her mate would be safe.

"Better?"

"Yes, Daddy. "

Carlisle suddenly found himself in a choke hold as Alice hugged his neck tightly while chirping, "Thank you for being the best Dad in the world."

"I wouldn't go that far, Baby girl." The doctor smiled as he wrapped his arms around his daughter, but a few seconds later she pulled away and quickly wiped at a tear.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel like I didn't trust you with Jazzy."

"Not at all, Sweetheart. Don't even entertain that thought," Carlisle reassured before catching sight of the time sprawled across the bottom of the television screen. "You'd better get going, young lady. We can't have you showing up late for school. We have enough trouble without giving your principal more ammunition. Besides, I know Emmett would be heartbroken to miss his first period class, so let's not hold him up any longer."

"You mean don't give him an excuse to miss his class since he would take that and run with it."

Standing up, Carlisle gave Alice a quick hug as he smiled. With eyes twinkling, the doctor tapped his little mischief maker on the tip of her nose.

"Can't pull the wool over your eyes. It seems we all know that boy very well."

"We are talking about Emmy, Daddy."

"Yes, we are. Now, no more stalling, Mary Alice. As Jasper would say, git yerself a movin'."

Carlisle's attempt at a Texas drawl cause the pixie to break down in a fit of giggles.

"Young Lady, I am simply shocked. You know better than to laugh at your father." The elder feigned irritation. Aiming his daughter towards the kitchen, Carlisle gave Alice a light smack on the back of the legs. "Off with you, girl, and mind that you keep out of trouble."

Continuing to giggle, the dark haired girl skipped out of the room and quickly vanished from sight as she called back, "Bye, Daddy. I'll see you this evening. Enjoy your day off."

"I will, Baby," the elder replied as he settled back down on the couch and ran a hand though his hair before whispering to himself, "At least I hope that I will, because tonight is going to be awful."

Carlisle sighed while nestling into the plush cushions and renewing the new show's volume.

There were days where it was much harder to be a parent than it should be; this was going to be one of them.

A little piece of him died whenever he had to discipline his children, but when it was Alice...

Leaning his head back and closing his eyes, the patriarch massaged his temples out of human habit as he tried to ease his phantom pain.

He was grateful that Alice's visions generally kept her out of trouble, but he would rather that she made the correct choice of action on her own. Still the few trips across his knee, the happier Carlisle was, so he would take what he could get.

She had to have known what her behavior would earn her, or had she simply relied too heavily on her vision, only to have it fail?

A soft groan rose from Carlisle's throat as his fingers slipped from his temples to work the pressure point at the bridge of his nose.

No, Alice's gift had not failed her. She'd already admitted that the risk was worth taking. He would have to change her views on that even though it would break his heart to do so.

Why did his Princess have to be so stubborn? The patriarch snorted suddenly as he reminded himself that this was a trait shared by all his children and occasionally even his mate and himself.

Small, gentle hands alighted upon his shoulders, causing the elder to drop his hand from his face and glance up to find his mate leaning over him.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

"Inflation, Sweetheart. They are worth at least a dime now."

Reaching his arm across his chest, he patted the hand on his right shoulder before taking it gently in his to guide Esme around the end of the couch.

Pulling his wife into his lap, the doctor cuddled her close and inhaled her calming scent before finally answering, "I was just thinking about Alice."

"Ah. Well, no wonder you had that scowl on your face," Esme stated as she soothed his tense brow with her soft touch.

"What scowl?" Carlisle asked with a slight air of defense.

"The one that says you're being forced to take an action that you would prefer to avoid."

"Why do they do these things?"

"For various reasons. Immaturity. Hormonal fueled aggression. Self defense," Esme offered gently as she brushed the hair back and gazed lovingly into his topaz eyes. "And sometimes it's to correct something that your children view as an injustice. That, my love, is what you're dealing with for her.

Alice broke the rules for the very same reason that you'll be correcting her; love."

Carlisle closed his eyes and groaned.

Placing her lips to his forehead, the matriarch kissed her husband and succeed in redirecting him to gaze at her before she continued.

"Alice's love for Jasper would not allow for his honor to be challenged. What she did was wrong, but she couldn't prevent herself from intervening on his behalf."

"Do you think I should grant her clemency this one time?"

Esme leaned slightly back in her husband's arms as she thoughtfully considered his question. Her heart knew its answer, but before she could give her emotions voice, the dark haired beauty shook her head and muttered a quiet, "No."

Carlisle felt his heart seize in his chest. If his gentle, nurturing wife felt that he had to take action, he knew that he was doomed.

Seeing the devastated look upon his face, Esme hastened to amend her answer with a question of her own.

"If it had been anyone else besides Alice who got into that ruckus, would you be entertaining the idea of leniency?"

"Maybe."

"Carlisle Cullen, you would not and you know it. If Emmett gets into a fight today..."

"God forbid." The doctor's eyes flashed with heart felt concern.

"IF Emmett was to cause a fight, what would your response be?"

Carlisle answered his wife's question with his silence while his chest fell in a drawout sigh.

"You can't treat Alice any differently, Darling. That wouldn't be fair."

"I know that you're right, A Ghrá mo Chroí, but..."

"She's your baby. I know, Carlisle," Esme said as she rubbed his cheek, her eyes soft with painful comprehension. "I also know how hard it is. After punishing Jasper yesterday, I have a whole new respect for what you do. It's devastating to be the cause of your child's pain, even when you know it's for their own good.

When Jasper cried out, I thought that my heart would break. Carlisle, he was so frightened."

Tears flooded the young woman's eyes as she swallowed the bile like venom that rose in her throat.

Clutching her tightly against his chest, Carlisle did his best to calm his mate.

"Shh. It's alright, Esme. The promise of punishment brings butterflies to the stomachs of the bravest of our miscreants. If it didn't, it wouldn't work. You know that.

It takes an awful lot to scare Jasper. I'm sure he wasn't anywhere near as upset as you think, Love. I'm willing to bet that what you took to be fear was just surprise."

As Esme shook her head against his chest, Carlisle sighed and pulled her back slightly to look into her eyes.

"Of course that was all that it was, A Chumann. He didn't expect his mother to reprimand him, so Jasper experienced a little shock. There was no harm done, and I'm sure that if you were to ask him now, he would tell you just how grateful he was to be answering to you instead of having to wait for me. You really did our soldier a huge favor. I know our boy, and his mind will get him worked up worse the longer he is made to wait. You put Jasper out of his misery, Sweetheart, and allowed him to be forgiven for his transgression sooner."

"No, Carlisle. It wasn't like that. He was trembling so badly that he could hardly breathe to calm himself down. He said..."

Esme closed her eyes as she shook her head, unable to bring herself to say anymore.

Light pressure beneath her chin brought her head up, and she found herself helplessly staring into her husband's eyes.

"What did he say, my heart?"

The woman swallowed hard as she struggled with the memory.

"He.. He begged me not to beat him like Maria did. Oh, Carlisle, what have I done? I opened old wounds in that poor boy. I shouldn't have done that. I should have been more conscious of the abuse he suffered at the hands of that manipulating woman. How could I have been so blind?"

Carlisle cocked a suspicious brow as he took in his wife's story.

"From the sound of it, someone else was doing some manipulating."

"No, Carlisle. You weren't there. You don't realize what that boy has been through. You didn't see the fear and pain in his eyes. I frightened him because he couldn't separate me from Maria. I should have never laid a hand on him and to make matters worse, I struck him too hard. I caused harm to our son. I can never take that back."

"Esme, I seriously doubt that you did any harm to that boy."

"I must have. The few times that I've overheard you punish him, I have never known him to cry out like that. I don't think that I know my own strength. What if I have done enough damage to lose Jasper's trust? Maybe that's why he was afraid to come ask me for permission to hunt last night."

The patriarch's brow furrowed as he reflected on the facts that he had been given. Generally he found it difficult to break through his soldier's stubborn, prideful resolve to take his punishment in silence. For him to cry out in front of anyone was an odd occurrence to be sure, and for that person to be his mother...well, that seemed unbelievable. With his occasionally annoying southern bravado, surely the Major would have been loathe to allow his mother to see him vulnerable. Something was not right about this.

Pulling Esme close, Carlisle rested her head against his chest as he did his best to quiet her.

Could it be true that she had managed to strike a cord that released deep seated anxiety in the boy? Did his past suffering make it impossible for Jasper to trust a woman who displayed power over him?

From personal experience, the doctor knew how deep the scars of emotional pain ran. Maybe his love had managed to blunder across some limit set by the soldier's brutal past.

"Carlisle?"

"Yes, Sweetheart," he cooed softly as he ran his fingers through the waves of her dark hair.

"Do you think I'm a monster?"

"Oh, good God. No, Love, you are nothing akin to a monster. If, and that is a huge if... If what you are saying is factual, it was nothing but a mishap that could have occurred at anytime and with anyone."

"But it was me. I made our boy cry."

"Sweetheart, when I have to punish the children, I don't stop until they are crying. They need that emotional release to purge their systems." The patriarch inhaled deeply then softened his voice to a sad whisper. "Alice will be in tears this evening."

Esme lightly stroked the arm that encircled her and nodded as she shared in her husband's distress.

"In the end she will be, but Jasper was yelping and writhing in pain from nearly the start. I was too hard on him, Carlisle. I know it. I tried to adjust my strength, but it did no good."

The doctor pulled his head back and caught his wife's eye, giving her an incredulous expression.

"From the start?"

The matriarch buried her face against her husband's chest as she cringed from shame.

"I'm a terrible mother."

"Hush now. None of that or you'll be the next young lady over my knee for fibbing. You are a wonderful mother. The children could not ask for finer."

"You're just saying that, Carlisle. No decent mother would hurt her child."

"I don't believe that you did, Love."

"I've already told you..."

"Yes, you've told me a great deal. Now, it's my turn to share what I believe to be true. I believe that a very embarrassed boy played on your sympathies to get out of some well earned punishment. I believe that our very cunning soldier manipulated you unfairly."

"But he didn't manipulate me. I would have noticed."

"He didn't use his gift, Sweetheart. Jasper drew from the skills that all children develop. He knows that you are soft-hearted, and he turned that wonderful trait against you."

Esme lifted her head and stared at her mate through darkened eyes that hardened ever so slightly.

"I don't believe that for a second. Jasper would never do such a thing."

"I agree with you. Normally, he wouldn't, but something caused him to not behave in his normal manner."

Esme's eyes hardened further as she shook her head, but Carlisle continued.

"Look at what happened. Normally, Jasper wouldn't have defied us and ridden his bike to school, but he did. Because he didn't mind as he should, his pride and glory on two wheels gets fairly severely damaged which spurs on a fight with a student, and our lad ends up punching one of the teachers.

Our son, who rarely gets in trouble at school, and is generally very respectful of the teaching staff, has had a bad run here of late. Now he is suspended for violence against, not the child responsible for his loss, but an innocent party.

From there you've told me that he behaved disrespectfully towards his principal, something that I find hard to believe, and worse, he was disrespectful towards you. These are no where near normal behaviors for that boy, so clearly he was not himself today."

"He was under stress, Carlisle."

"And don't you believe that a spanking is stress inducing as well?"

It seemed as though Esme was about to disagree, but instead, she swiftly changed her mind and simply continued to glare in frustration.

"Jasper appears to have gone out of his way to earn himself a sore back end, and the Major is aware of that fact. I don't have a single doubt that says otherwise. Still, Darling, I'm certain that it was a stressful experience and likely led to his abnormal behavior."

"Jasper is a good boy, Carlisle. He wouldn't. He just couldn't."

"He can, and he did," the patriarch stated softly with conviction.

Esme bit her bottom lip as she carefully examined the evidence that her husband had laid out before her. She just could not allow herself to believe that her soldier boy was capable of pulling the wool over her eyes like that. Emmett? Certainly. Edward? Possibly. Jasper? Never.

"You have to be wrong. I can't accept this."

"And neither can I. I'm going to go upstairs and have a little talk with the boy."

"NO."

The patriarch was stunned by the strength of Esme's negative response.

"You will not make him feel worse than he already does by making the claim that he lied. Jasper is a man of honor. I won't have you insulting him like that."

"Esme, Jasper knows the truth. Calling him out on it is not going to insult him. I promise. In reality it will probably give him a bit of closure. I should be surprised if the boy isn't suffering at least some twinges of guilt right now. He respects you, and what he did goes against the code that he lives by."

"I reminded him of Maria, plain and simple. I frightened him. I am at fault, not Jasper."

"Esme." Carlisle groaned as his jaw clenched. "You did nothing wrong. The feminine gender does not adversely affect that boy. At first, when you were telling me what happened, I allowed myself to believe that there could be truth in that statement, but the change in his mannerisms over the years proves otherwise. Think about it. Who was the first person in this family to win his trust?

That would be you, Darling, followed shortly by Rose. It took the lad much longer to warm up to Edward and Emmett, and I was dead last when it came to gaining his trust. He kept expecting me to act aggressively towards him and Alice, but not you."

"But..."

"No, Love. While it's true that Jasper has survived absolutely heinous events at the hands of a woman, he trusts you completely. You are nothing like Maria. You couldn't be like her if you tried. Did you yell at him? Did you degraded him? Have you ever manipulated his emotions for your own pleasure just to see him suffer? Even once, have you forced Jasper to do something that he didn't want to do while having full knowledge that it would shatter his soul, simply because you could?"

Tears glistened in the matriarchs eyes for the pain that her son had endured, and she slowly shook her head.

"You have done nothing but shown Jasper kindness and love. You accepted him when he saw himself as an interloper and a monster. Esme, it was you who gave him a home when all I seemed to be able to offer was the protection of a coven. It was through you that he began to realize that here he had a family."

Cupping his mate's cheek gently, Carlisle brushed a tear away with his thumb.

"He loves you, Sweetheart. He knows that you would never hurt him. Even if you were to do something to trigger some terrible memory, subconsciously he would know that he was safe. He does not fear you, Esme, of that I couldn't be more certain."

The matriarch struggled to find some way to continue her argument, but she finally conceded with an inward groan.

"Why, Carlisle? What would make him do something like that?"

The pain reflected in his mate's gentle eyes stirred the doctor's anger, but he choked it down and simply replied, "I don't know, Esme. Only Jasper can answer that."

As the doctor looked on, his wife's demeanor began to change. Blinking away her tears, the matriarch ground her teeth in frustration before she slipped off her husband's lap.

"Well his answer had better be good. He might not have feared me before, but he would be wise to fear me now," she growled softly while her eyes flashed.

"Now, A Ghrá mo Chroí, calm down. You've been through enough. I'll deal with Jasper."

"I don't think so, Carlisle. I started this, and I'll finish it. I was the one lied to. I'm the one who has been hurt here. It's up to me to teach Jasper how foolish it is to try to get one over on me. I don't want him to ever try something like this again.

He may love me, but apparently he doesn't respect me. I guess it's time that I do something to earn his respect."

"Sweetheart," he spoke in a soothing tone as he stood and lightly grasped his mate's arm only to have it yanked away.

"No, Carlisle. I am the disciplinarian right now, not you. I will take care of this."

At that, the matriarch turned on her heels and stalked out of the room on her way towards the stairs.

After a few seconds, the doctor eased himself back down on the couch and tried unsuccessfully to concentrate on the end of his news program. His gut told him that he should have tried harder to stop Esme from approaching Jasper. She was angry right now, and Carlisle worried that she wouldn't be able to find the proper state of mind to properly deal with their errant boy's deception.

He trusted her not to hurt the lad, but that knowledge didn't help ease the nagging uneasiness that caused his chest to tighten. He worried for his wife and his son, and prayed that they would both make it through this relatively unscathed.

Sighing, Carlisle leaned back and rubbed his eyes while muttering softly to himself, "Good luck to you, Jasper. You. my boy, are about to find out that Hell truly hath no fury like a mother scorned."

* * *

**AN:** Yesterday wasn't Jasper's day and today isn't looking any more promising. So who thinks that Jazzy is ready for what's heading his way? Esme fought Carlisle's logic as long as she could. At some point I thought it was Carlisle who was going to get swiped by those claws. That didn't go quite the way I planned it.

Sorry for the slower than usual updates. I'm working on a Cullen Christmas story that will be added to a collection to raise funds for Toys For Tots. Emmy's exuberance is finally being put to use for a good cause. ;-) The idea of brightening up the holidays for some little ones got the bruin chattering, and it was hard to quiet him down so I could work on my other stories. Doing my best to keep him occupied with other things so I can get my other work done, but Em is hard to suppress.

As always, thank each and everyone of y'all for the continuing support. It means the world to me. Special thanks to my wonderfully patient and supportive beta, Splinter and my wing-woman, Jasper1863Hale. Couldn't do it without you guys. *luffs*


	9. Repentance

Jasper leaned against the porch railing as he watched the jeep buck down the drive and turn onto the road. His thoughts were on his wife and what the day had in store for her. The soldier had held onto a sliver of hope that Carlisle would let Alice off with the school's detention to stand as her punishment, or maybe a week of house arrest, but listening to their discussion had caused that hope to vanish.

As he walked Alice out, Jasper had tried to reason with her. If she would only tell Carlisle what he wanted to hear, the evening wouldn't have to go as bad as the boy knew it would. His mate was nervous and their father heartsick. It didn't have to be this way. It shouldn't be this way. If only he hadn't been such a dumbass, Alice would have never landed herself into this terrible predicament. His stupidity should only land him in trouble, not his siblings or his sweet Alice.

_Damn it, Whitlock, but you just had to go lead everyone else astray. Do you have to be so ignorant? You should have known that Alice would involve herself. You don't deserve that woman. With her heart of gold, she would defend you to the ends of the Earth, and look at what that's gittin' her. Locked down at school and the inability to sit for who knows how long. Are you fuckin' proud of yerself? That's your whippin' she'll be takin' from Carlisle. You know that right? You got off easy and left your mate with her ass hangin' in the wind. I'm so disgusted with you._

A low growl rumbled in Jasper's chest, but he stopped himself just short of punching the post to relieve his building irritation. Giving a snort of disgust, he lowered his head.

_Yeah, go on and tear up the house. Win you some extra points. Maybe you can get Carlisle to wear his arm out on you so he doesn't have the energy left to whip Alice. Hell, that might relieve you of some of the guilt you're feeling for the cowardly crap you pulled with Esme._

Raising his head slowly, Jasper's onyx eyes focused on the upright post.

_Why the fuck not get your ass beaten proper? Not like you don't deserve it. _

With a vicious snarl, the soldier slammed his palm against the smooth painted wooden surface...with a human's strength.

Bowing his head, the Major knocked it a couple of times against the post before he sighed with disgust.

_Chickenshit._

Quietly, Jasper turned away from the yard and the distancing purring of the jeep's engine to make his way back into the house.

Passing the living room, he heard his parents discussing Alice's upcoming date with the flat of Carlisle's hand. His father sounded distraught, and the anguish coming from the man caused the soldier to cringe. Knowing that this was a conversation that he wanted no part of, Jasper continued on through the house and up the stairs.

Pausing for a moment in front of Carlisle's office, the youth glanced in. It was really no different from any other room in the house. It was neatly organized, bright and welcoming, but a heavy feeling of dread lingered among those four walls.

_That's what needs destroyin'; not some innocent post. _

For a brief moment, the boy entertained the idea of tearing through the room and dismantling it along with the memories it contained. Biting the inside of his cheek, he recalled the first time Carlisle had given him a licking in his office. It had been in a different house, but the settling had been very much the same. How Jasper had laughed at the absurdity of the coven leader's chosen method of punishment. He couldn't imagine how such a childish form of discipline was even capable of keeping a group of young, hot headed, blood lusting vampires in line, and he'd been certain that it would have no effect on him. He was a trained soldier for heaven's sake. He'd had limbs ripped off and then had to endure the excruciating pain of reattachment. A couple of whacks on the seat of his britches wouldn't even phase him.

He had stood before that same scarred mahogany desk and openly mocked Carlisle, thinking him a weak and ineffectual leader, but how wrong he had been in that assumption.

Carlisle's emotions had been tinged with annoyance at Jasper's arrogance, but much to the empath's surprise, they had never risen to anger. Perhaps that was why it came as such a shock to the soldier when he found himself suddenly pinned down over the desk's cool, slick surface. The elder had taken physical control over him so smoothly and swiftly that the Major hadn't been able to offer the least bit of resistance before a window rattling crack seared his mind as well as his behind. One blazing lick was all it had taken for Jasper to find himself regretting every mocking comment he had ever made about his leader's infantile choice of correction.

In that one afternoon, Carlisle had proven just how effective he was at heading his family to keep them safe and in line. Jasper's respect for the man had continued to grow after that. His calm demeanor, compassion in dealing with others and ability to maintain a functional coven without resorting to methods that threatened his underlings' life or limb captivated the Major and earned his trust.

_And what have you done to gain Carlisle's trust?_

Turning away from the dreaded study, Jasper slipped down the hallway and into his bedroom.

Grabbing the blanket off the bed, the soldier curled up in the leather upholstered chair near the window and gazed out into the forest. Wrapping the fleecy fabric around him, the youth inhaled deeply, allowing his mate's sweet scent to fill his head. While it wasn't nearly as helpful as having Alice with him, her light floral fragrance eased some of his tension while he replayed her words over and over in his head.

As usual, his wife was right. He needed to be honest with Esme, and he needed to do that very soon. The longer he put it off the harder it would be, and the more tempting it would become to just try to forget it ever happened. Maybe that was just what he should try to do; forget it. It's not like Esme would ever know as long as he and Alice didn't say anything. If he could keep it out of his mind, not even Edward would know, and he would be completely off the hook. The Major would get off clean and clear, if only his conscience would allow that.

_You have to tell Esme. You should have told her as soon as the others were gone; just bitten the bullet and got it off your chest. She's gonna be so damn disappointed in you, but what can you expect? She should be disappointed. Fuck that. She'll be pissed off and rightfully so. Whitlock, you knew better than to play yer Momma like that, but since you decided to be an ignorant ass, you should have fessed up from the git go. Instead, you lied like a legless dog to the sweetest woman on the planet. You know, you really do deserve to feel like scum._

Jasper watched as a hawk rode on the thermal updraft above the trees and longed to switch places with the raptor.

_Dude, you have got it made, and you don't even know it._

Closing his eyes, the soldier allowed his mind to go blank for a few precious minutes before the comforting darkness receded. The guilt would no longer allow him to rest, and the boy knew that there was only one cure to his predicament.

Swallowing hard, Jasper raked his hand through his hair before nodding to himself.

Slowly folding the blanket, Major Whitlock inhaled deeply while he got to his feet.

"It's now or never, and the latter there isn't even an option, Whit."

Crossing to his door, the youth felt his stomach flip as his nerves took over. Why was this so damn hard to do? He'd faced murdering bands of vampires and never felt as shaken as he did right now. _It's Esme_, he reminded himself. _Sweet, gentle, loving Esme...who's going to have Carlisle kick your sorrow ass into next month for this._

With his head lowered, Jasper ambled down the hallway and slowly descended the stairway, looking for all the world like a man heading to his demise. Upon reaching the first landing, the boy suddenly froze to find Esme climbing steadily towards him. Dragging a hand through his hair, he leaned back against the banister and waited patiently for his mother to join him on the small platform.

The moment the little brunette's near black gold-flecked eyes locked onto his, Jasper felt a chill race up his spine. Something was definitely wrong here. His mother was shielding her emotions, but he could see a tiny flame flickering behind her curious expression.

Acting quickly before his courage could desert him, the soldier sunk his hands deep into his pants pockets and lowered his gaze before he began to speak.

"Um. Momma, I was just coming down to find you. There's something that I need ...AAH!"

A crushing pain engulfed his left ear as his mother latched onto it with lightning speed and gave a tug. In the span of a second, Jasper found himself being dragged back in the direction from which he had just come. The excruciating pain in the side of his head left him with little option but to follow along as he loudly yelped in protest at the mistreatment.

"Ow, Momma! Wait! Let go!"

Without uttering a word, Esme continued down to the hall with her cub in tow, until she came to his bedroom.

Opening the door a little too forcibly, the clearly upset matriarch hauled Jasper inside then kicked it closed behind them, appearing unfazed by the yowls of her son or the sound of splintering wood.

Depositing the youth on his bed, Esme finally relinquished the hold she had maintained on his tender earlobe, and took a step back. Folding her arms, she closely studied her son through dark narrowed eyes while he briskly rubbed his abused ear.

"Crap, Momma, what did I do?"

"You know very well what you did, Jasper Monroe Cullen."

The fingers that worked feverishly to restore his ear to its former glory abruptly stilled and his eyes went wide in shock. How did she find out about last night? He had been so careful to remain unnoticed by the humans. How in the hell had he screwed that up?

No, she couldn't possibly know. If she did then he would be facing an angry Carlisle right now, so this had to be about something else. Something sure as hell put a bee in her bonnet, and he would have to proceed with caution if he didn't want to get stung.

"I'm not sure what it is that you think I did, Momma, but if you tell me, I'll do my best to explain."

"I'm not interested in explanations or excuses, young man. You've already lied to me. How am I supposed to trust what you would tell me now?"

Esme's glare hardened and Jasper found himself feeling a little intimidated.

"I never meant to lie to..."

The matriarch raised her hand to silence the youth.

"I said that I didn't want to hear it, Jasper."

The southerner lowered his head as his mother closed the gap to stand before him. A gentle hand cupped his chin and lifted it until he was forced to gaze back into her dull, hurt eyes.

"I didn't want to believe your father when he told me that you had played me for a fool. Not my son. Not my brave Jazz. He would never do such a thing. His honor would never allow that.

I knew that I had to have been the one to cross some invisible line and caused him to suffer. That was the only explanation that made sense. My soldier had a relapse and unfortunately he was reminded of the horrible suffering that he had endured in his past. Do you have any idea how much I regretted being the cause of those reemerging memories, Jasper?"

The boy averted his eyes, but a slight shake of the hand holding his chin refocused his attention on Esme.

"You let me believe that I had done a terrible thing to you. I felt like the worse mother in the world; entirely heartless for what I had done to you."

"Momma, I..." His whispered words died before they could truly form.

"What, Jazz? Don't try to tell me that you didn't mean for that to happen. You knew how I would feel. You could feel the effect that your story had on me, but you continued to allow me to believe the lie."

Finally letting go of her hold on the youth, Esme cocked her head ever so slightly to the side as she seemed to be considering something.

"You don't lie to Carlisle, do you?"

'No, Ma'am," he muttered softly.

"But you had no problem lying to me. Do you think so little of me that you don't feel that I deserve the same respect that you show your father?"

"I have nothing but respect for you."

"You have a very funny way of showing it."

Jasper could no longer stand the weight of his mother's stern gaze and allowed his head to bow.

Freeing the air trapped in her lungs through a deep sigh, Esme turned away from the boy and took a few paces before glancing back.

"I won't stand for being lied to, young man. You are about to learn that fact well."

Turning fully around to face the youth, she commanded in a serious tone that left no room for disobedience, "Jasper Cullen, get up."

Swallowing back the venom that apprehension caused to suddenly fill his mouth, the soldier quickly found his feet and stood before his mother with his hands clasped firmly at the small of his back.

The matriarch glided passed him without so much as a sideways glance to gather his pillows at the foot of the bed. Placing one a little further out from the edge of the mattress, she carefully stacked the others together before addressing the youth again.

"Please remove your pants and lean over the bed. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible, Jasper, so I would appreciate your compliance."

"My pan..."

"JASPER!" She growled his name loudly, causing him to flinch before she softened her tone. "There is no room for negotiation. You will do as I say or I will force you to submit to my authority. The choice of how we do this is yours, but the end results will be the same regardless of how we get there."

For a moment, the soldier stared uncomprehendingly at Esme in shock. He had never seen his mother so agitated and determined. While he was taller and stronger than her, there was little doubt in the boy's mind that she would make good on her word to force him to comply with her demands.

For all her apparent anger, when he locked onto her obsidian eyes, the only thing that registered in their depths was immense pain. She continued to keep her emotions locked firmly away from his prying power, but she could not hide what shone through her eyes. He had betrayed her. He had taken advantage of her nature and now he was going to reap the reward of his misbehavior. Suddenly, the humiliation he felt at the idea of his mother seeing him disrobed seemed like a small price to pay for what he had forced her to endure.

Jasper closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. He had hurt Esme more than he realized. He had brought this upon himself, and he would do whatever it took to make things right between them. He had to repair the damage. If this was the first step in doing that, so be it.

"Jasper, I'm waiting."

Opening his eyes, he glanced over at his mother, trying unsuccessfully to read her once again before nodding his head in acceptance of his fate.

"Yes, Ma'am," he whispered; only biting back an apology at the last second. The woman's body language told him that she was not interested in hearing him voice his regret. The soldier was not sure that his mother wanted to hear his voice at all, so he returned to a trusted childhood practice of not speaking unless spoken to.

Steadying his hands, Jasper unbuckled his belt and released the buttons of his jeans so he could slide them down his long, muscular legs.

"All the way, if you please."

Toeing off his running shoes, the youth stepped out of his pants and left them where they laid as he made his way around to the foot of the bed.

Stretching out along the bed with his hips gently supported by the pillows, Jasper felt terribly exposed. He was only too aware that his rear was perfectly presented and soon he would be feeling his mother's anger even though she maintained a fierce lock on her emotions. Inhaling a breath in a pitiful attempt to relax, the Major wrapped his arms around the extra pillow and buried his face. The calming scent of his mate swiftly enveloped him, making Jasper realize it wasn't by accident that Esme had given him Alice's pillow to cling to.

_Thoughtful even when pissed. If that just don't beat all. That's my Momma._

The youth winced before he could stop himself when the matriarch's hand came to rest on his lower back, but the woman appeared unfazed by his reaction. Lightly rubbing his tense muscles, Esme subconsciously attempted to ease her son's anxiety while she mentally battled with her own raw emotional pain.

"Jasper, you and I both know why you've wound up in this regrettable spot. I really don't see any reason for further discussion. I'm sure that this comes as no surprise, but just for clarity's sake, you should know that a repeat of this sort of behavior will not be tolerated. I promise that if I discover that you've tricked me again, and trust me, I will find out, you will be punished with great prejudice. This is the only warning that you'll be given. Don't test me on this. You will not like the results."

The faintest of nods was the only indication that the youth had heard his mother's words, but that was enough for Esme.

Applying a little more pressure against the boy's back, the matriarch anchored him against the pillows and gathered her courage to help see her through. Giving no further warning, Esme brought her free hand down sharply against Jasper's thinly clad backside drawing a low grunt from the soldier and causing tears to well up in her eyes. The woman's heart broke to hear the youth gasp after a quick volley of blows peppered his errant hide, but she persisted and soon fell into a steady rhythm.

Jasper bit his bottom lip and fought to keep his vocalizations to a minimum as the wicked stinging in his hindquarters rapidly increased. Despite his best efforts, a muted mewl welled up in his throat and slipped past his lips.

"Jasper, I never thought that I would find myself in a position like this."

The Major's shoulders shook and he drew a shaky breath before whispering in a voice that was thick with emotion, "Ah... Ah'm sorry, Momma. Ah swear."

"And I'm sorry that I have to do this, Son. You have no idea ..." Giving a shake of her head, Esme let the words die on her lips.

If she let her emotions go, Jasper would know the effect this was having on her, but what good would that do? The youth would only feel worse, which was the last thing that she wanted for him. As angry as she was, the matriarch wanted this over. Once her son was sufficiently chastised, this ugly mess would finally be behind them. The last thing she wanted was to have it continue because of Jasper not being able to forgive himself. Esme would rather suffer in silence if by doing so she was able to free her boy of his guilt.

With her palm fiercely stinging, she continued to apply stroke after hard punishing stroke to the soldier's tender posterior while trying to find a way that would drive her point home and free Jasper's over burdened conscience.

Slightly shifting her position, Esme's foot caught on the youth's discarded jeans and diverted her attention for a second, but a second was all it took. With her heart in her throat, Esme instantly knew what she had to do.

"Son, are we going to have to do this again?"

The lad's answer came in the form of a whimper while he shifted his weight from foot to foot, before a well placed stroke to the undercurve of his right cheek forced him up on his toes.

Jasper ground his teeth and hissed like a punctured tire as he struggled with the relentlessly burning sting while holding back the venom tears that burned his eyes and blurred his vision. He had hurt his mother enough and would not add to her suffering by breaking down in front of her. He deserved to be punished for his stupidity and, by God, he would take it like a man and not make a fuss. He couldn't completely control the traitorous little sounds that got away from him, but he would be damned if he was going to weep.

Blinking rapidly, he drove the thick venom back before biting the back of his hand to stifle his cries.

"Good. I don't want to ever have to punish you for this behavior again, but I will if you insist. Believe me when I say that it is in your best interest not to manipulate me like this again, Jasper. I'm going to give you a little extra incentive to help you remember how to behave."

Several more hard swats fell before Esme's hand came to rest against her boy's worn out rear end. She rubbed his rump gently to ease a bit of the sting before bending down to pull his belt free from the tangle of denim.

The jingle of his belt buckle caused Jasper to freeze as the venom in his veins chilled, but his moment of immobility was fleeting. Suddenly, the southerner popped up and turned to face his mother with huge liquid jet black eyes that begged for mercy.

"Please," was all he uttered.

What was left of Esme's broken heart shattered into tiny shards at hearing her boy plead, but she hid her emotions well behind an impassive mask.

"We're not done, Jasper," she replied softly while folding the belt over in her hand. "Lay back down, please. I won't add to your punishment this time, but if you break position again, you'll leave me little choice."

"But, Momma, you can't."

"Oh, I assure you that I can and I will. Now do as you're told."

Shaken by the determination in his mother's eyes, Jasper knew that he had no choice but to comply.

Laying back over the edge of the bed, the Major quickly reclaimed his mate's pillow a mere second before his first tear won its bid for freedom.

Two strokes of the belt bit into the boy's firm flesh and he heard himself sob before a new emotion eclipsed the pain and sorrow that he felt. The moment he felt his boxers slip down his thighs, embarrassment rushed upon him and would have colored his face if blood still coursed through his system. It took every ounce of Jasper's self control to maintain his prone position along his bed as his mind screamed for him to do something to end this torment.

Esme felt her son stiffen beneath her touch.

"Try to calm yourself, Jazz," she cooed softly as she briefly rubbed his back to give him a moment to collect himself. "It will be over soon."

"Easier said, Momma."

"I'm sorry, Baby, but I need you to remember this for a long time."

"Mission accomplished," he quietly stated with a soft sniffle as he buried his head.

Tapping the loop of leather against his pale bare skin, Esme continued to remind herself that this was for the youth's own good. She had to be strong and see this task through to its bitter end or what he had already suffered would have been for nothing.

"Alright, Jasper. Let's finish this."

The Major gritted his teeth as flames consumed his backside. His mother appeared to be holding nothing back as the dreadful implement snapped against his rump with a tremendous crack that sent a jolt of pain across every fiber of his being.

Within seconds, the courageous soldier gave up his struggle to hide his emotions as yelps of pain were torn from his throat and tears cascaded down his face to soak Alice's pillow.

Esme was shocked by the appearance of several welts as the belt flawlessly accomplished its grievous task. This time she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that her son's sobs were genuine and hated herself for being their cause.

_Stop it! He needed this. Jasper needed to learn his lesson and he needed to purge his conscience. You felt his guilt last night, but you weren't completely aware of the reason. This will benefit him in the long run. You are doing this for him._

Esme brought the strap down on her son's defenseless rear several more times before her internal monologue churned out a question that she couldn't answer.

_Then why does this feel more like revenge than redemption?_

One final stroke and the belt slipped from the matriarch's hand while tears trickled down her face.

"Ah'm sor-sorry, Momma. So sorry."

The words were muffled by the pillow and broken by the boy's tearful sniffling, but the brunette heard them quite clearly.

Quickly wiping the tears from her cheeks, Esme shushed the soldier while she carefully raised his boxers, taking care to avoid dragging the soft fabric across his welt ravaged skin.

"Shh. It's over, Jazz. We're done here. You're alright, sweetheart. You're okay. Just breathe, Baby."

"Sorry," he whimpered. "Won't do it again."

"I know, Baby Boy. I know."

Esme bit back bitter tears as she focused on her broken boy; broken by her hands and that damnable piece of leather. Her earlier anger at her son's transgression was swiftly being turned against herself. Jasper had deserved to be punished, but she had taken it too far. How could she claim to love her children if she was willing to hurt them like this? She was the worst mother to ever live.

"Jasper, let's get you into bed for a little while. Some time to rest will do you good. Come on, Sweetheart."

Gently helping the boy back to is feet, Esme found herself caught in a strangle hold of a hug.

"Momma, I'll never..."

"I know, Jazzy. I know. Shh."

Holding her son close, the matriarch guided him to the side of the bed and pulled back the sheets. Patting the bed, Esme softly directed her soldier. "Lay down. I want you to relax for a couple of hours, Sweetheart. You need to give yourself some time to heal."

The Major meekly crawled under the covers and rolled on his side with a soft hiss while his mother reclaimed his pillows and tucked them under his head.

Brushing a honey gold lock out of the boy's face, Esme kissed his forehead, then straightened up while gazing into his dark shimmering eyes.

"Rest, Jasper. You don't have to stay in bed, but you will stay in this room until I release you."

"Yes, Ma'am," he whispered while curling up a little tighter, but continued to peer up at his mother sadly. "Momma..."

"There's nothing more to say. The matter is closed, Major. Now do as I ask, and I'll return for you in a little while."

Jasper reached out for his mother's hand, but caught only air as she turned away and headed towards the door.

"Momma?"

Glancing back over her shoulder, Esme caught her boy's eye.

"Yes, Baby?"

The soldier swallowed hard as he silently stared at the woman then shook his head while lowering his gaze.

"Nothing, Momma. I'm just sorry for the trouble I've caused."

"We all make mistakes. All that I ask is that you learn from yours and don't let this happen again."

Nodding, Jasper sighed softly and pulled the covers over his head to block out the world as his mother quietly closed the door behind her.

Once outside the bedroom, tears flooded the matriarch's eyes. Leaning her back against the wall that separated her from her gifted child, Esme gave into the harsh emotions of failure that she had been holding at bay. The anguish from having hurt her boy crushed her heart and turned her legs to jelly.

Sliding down, she landed on the floor with a dull thud and pulled her knees up against her chest while the devastating sadness she had noted in Jasper's eyes continued to flash in her mind. He loved her and trusted her. How could she have done this to him? He was her baby. Her job was to protect him from harm, not cause harm to him.

Esme drew a deep breath as she ran her hands through her hair, but the self soothing methods didn't work at all. She was a terrible mother to her southern soldier. She had been angry when she trudged up those stairs to deal with her son. One of the big rules of parenting was never to discipline in anger, especially if you are using physical forms of punishment. She knew that, but she had completely disregarded that maxim. She should have given herself a time out before speaking to Jasper, let alone spanking him. She should have been calm when she walked into the Major's room to discuss his behavior, but what she had felt was far from calm. When he had surprised her on the stairs, she had simply reacted to his appearance, and it had all snowballed from there.

The matriarch laid her head on her knees as her mind flicked back to the moment their eyes had met on the stairs. He had looked so lost and nervous, just like a naughty little boy who regretted his mischief making. He had started to say something moments before she had latched onto his ear. What was it that he...

Esme sat bolt upright and stared intently at the wall in front of her.

_Oh my God. He was coming to me with his confession, and I never gave him the chance. I can't believe that I could be that insensitive to my son. What is happening to me? It shouldn't have been like this. Jasper deserves to be treated better. He's been through so much, and he looks to you to give him a better life. He needs love and understanding, but you didn't even give him the opportunity to explain. What sort of person does that? _

Her brow furrowed as she conjured up an old image of herself forced down across a mattress, begging for a chance to explain while a heavy belt delivered blow after punishing blow to every accessible part of her body.

Esme's venom ran cold as goosebumps broke out across her skin.

"Oh, God. Have I just overreacted like..."

"Esme?"

Looking up in response to the soft and curious voice, Esme found herself caught in the gentle gaze of her husband's bright amber eyes.

"Carlisle," she wailed pitifully as tears raced down her pale cheeks. "What have I done to our son?"

* * *

**AN:** Esme did overlook something very important, that has Jasper feeling a little worse when he should be feeling better. It's going to take the good doctor to once again sort things out. Poor Carlisle never really gets a day off, does he?

Thanks, as always, for all the support. I'm sorry that updates are coming a bit slower. I've lost some of my will to write, but I'm working on getting it back. I really appreciate all the feedback. That really does keep me from fall completely off track.

Also need to apologize to some folks for falling behind on my own reading and reviewing. Sorry y'all. I'm will get caught up.

Special thanks to my wonderful beta, Splinter and the always astounding, Jasper1863Hale for helping keep me sane.

Until next time.


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